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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25509787">•Potter Watch•</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gr1m_r3apr/pseuds/gr1m_r3apr'>gr1m_r3apr</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>PotterWatch [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, But also it's pretty close to canon, Draco Is a Prick, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Keziah Potter, Keziah is bby, Sibling Love, They're all bby, canon-divergent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:34:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>75,258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25509787</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gr1m_r3apr/pseuds/gr1m_r3apr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dark Lord fall by the mark of his follies,<br/>Though the good be few and far between,<br/>Death holds back when a new player enters the game,<br/>And a pawn beats queen in Fate's grand scheme</p><p>  Usually, Keziah is a regular eighteen-year-old girl, with a minor obsession for Harry Potter. Except when she started rereading the first book, she was unexpectedly drop-kicked right into the story, thanks to the wild ideas of bored immortals! </p><p>Suddenly, she's eleven years old again in a world with wizards, werewolves and a very evil Dark Lord trying to kill her family. Oh yeah, she's also Harry Potter's sister!</p><p>  And you want to know the best part? She knew exactly what was going to happen and the Fates were well aware of it.</p><p>  Stuck on the edge of war with a childhood idol turned brother, Keziah had to use every inch of her knowledge to keep herself and all her loved ones safe and sound.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daphne Greengrass &amp; Original Female Character(s), Daphne Greengrass &amp; Theodore Nott &amp; Blaise Zabini, Harry Potter &amp; Original Character(s), Hermione Granger &amp; Harry Potter &amp; Ron Weasley &amp; Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>PotterWatch [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Keziah Drake/Potter is a character of my own creation who cannot be used by other creators, except at my specific permission.</p><p>Please note that while Keziah is white-passing, she is still mixed and seeing her as a white person is disrespectful. Just because she doesn't look exactly like Harry (i.e: dark hair, dark skin) she is still a biracial POC</p><p>K thx...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Our story should start with a boy. More specifically, it should start with the Boy Who Lived. It's the traditional way to start a story, with a chosen one who's fate was destined long before they were born.</p><p>But, our story does not start this way. It should have and would have, if not for the meddling of a maybe-immortal and incredibly bored being, who had nothing better to do than inspect and play with the lives of humans.</p><p>*</p><p>She sat in her chambers, strung not quite up in the heavens and not down on Earth. It was a limbo of sorts. She sat there, inspecting a long string of emerald green string with a disturbing intensity for a piece of string. She was staring at a specific part of it, where the string had frayed so thinly that it could've been considered broken if not for the single strand of cotton which kept it whole. She frowned, wondering what would happen if She just pulled the thing apart. It would be so easy, just a small shift of her fingers.</p><p>She sighed and put the string down again, selecting a different piece instead. This one was such a dark green it was almost black, except for the thin strands of other threads that had twisted their way into the string someway along the process. It was also frayed close to snapping in so many places that She wasn't surprised to see how violently the string had broken when it finally ended. </p><p>Shaking her head slightly, She looked up to the rest of her room. It was covered in pictures and different strings from the ages. Different lifelines, all having ended eventually. She looked back at the two lifelines she'd been toying with; more specifically the bright green one.</p><p>"Such a sad life," She whispered, caressing its fragile threads. She stopped suddenly, throwing her head up and leaping to the other side of the room with ferocity as She scrambled through a basket of different lifelines, all slowing inching out of their balls of yarn. Finally, she grabbed a red one, sewn with all the shades of autumn. It was relatively short, eighteen years at most. <em>Keziah Lilian Drake</em>. She admired the strength of the string's colour, bright and alive. It was perfect, She thought gleefully.</p><p>Her plan wasn't exactly within guidelines but that didn't matter in the whole spectrum of the universe, She thought lightly, humming to herself as she grabbed a different ball of yarn. It was almost the same colour as the red string, if not a bit more jewel-toned. She stretched out the new ball of yarn until She had a lifeline of around eleven years or so. Working quickly, She wound the original line around the new one, running her fingers across the threads to almost fuse them. </p><p>A new lifeline, She mused, with a smile, turning back to the green string lying on her table.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Keziah stood in the corridor of a small cottage, confused as hell. The last thing she could remember was putting in her earphones to listen to a Harry Potter audiobook, but now she was here. She guessed that she'd fallen asleep but why did her subconscious force her here?</p><p>From where she stood, Keziah could see a room, where pretty coloured lights reflected against the window in the door. She didn't move, still curious about where she was. The hallway was painted a mild yellow, with a bright red pram digging into her thigh. She was broken from her revelry by the door opening to reveal a young woman.</p><p>She was quite short and looked like the university students Keziah was friends with. Her dark auburn hair, the same shade as Keziah's in fact, was braided neatly down her back. The woman was holding a small bundle which Keziah realised with a start was a baby.</p><p>Keziah scrambled forward to follow the woman but withdrew as she caught sight of the baby. It looked like the photos which graced Keziah's actual home, from when she was around a year old. This was getting more confusing by the second.</p><p>"James, I'm going to put Kezi to bed, alright?" the woman called, brushing a few strands out of her green eyes. Keziah inhaled sharply, her heart skipping a beat. She moved cautiously towards the living room. She had to be sure. A young man was sitting there, with a baby boy on his knees. The man's hair was jet-black, sticking up in all directions. The tiny explosions he was creating with his wand shined on his square glasses. </p><p>"Sure thing, Lily," he called happily, going back to cooing at the baby in his lap. Lily and James. Keziah dug her nails into her fist and followed Lily quickly upstairs. She moved into the nursery where there were two matching cots, both filled with a plethora of stuffed animals.</p><p>Keziah looked up and noted the mobile hanging from the ceiling, silhouettes of a stag, a dog, a wolf and a rat chasing each other in circles. Tear prickled her eyes.</p><p>"Oh, shoo Roger, shoo," Lily hissed, chasing a tabby cat from the room. It yowled in offence but disappeared, slinking through the doorway. Lily then lowered the baby Keziah into the cot, whispering something before leaving the room with a kiss on the head. Keziah felt weirdly awkward as she stood in the nursery, painted a pale red with gold stripes. A little teddy bear wearing a leather jacket sat in the corner and she could see an entire stack of tiny jumpers folded in the corner.</p><p>She sighed, wondering why she was dreaming of this place for the third time. Baby Keziah sat in her cot, gurgling happily and wrestling with a plush toy of a rat. She didn't seem happy with it, bashing the toy's head against the cot's bars. The real Keziah smirked.</p><p>The calm aura was broken violently as Keziah heard screams and the door banging open. A young man was yelling and then a shriek and the sound of a flashbang. Keziah stood frozen, practically plastered against the cot when Lily burst in, placing Harry gently into the other cot and piling up everything and anything against the door.</p><p>It was all in vain when the door suddenly burst open. Keziah didn't need to look up to guess who was standing in the doorway. Lord Voldemort. </p><p>"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily cried desperately, moving to shield the baby boy's cot. Keziah stood in front of the other one, feeling slightly offended that she was being left unguarded. Then she realised that Voldemort hadn't even looked at her yet.</p><p>"Stand aside you silly girl ... stand aside now."</p><p>"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead–"</p><p>Keziah couldn't bear to look as Lily pleaded, her eyes wide in panic, tears welling up.</p><p>"Not Harry! Please ... have mercy ... have mercy..."</p><p>Voldemort cut her off with a shrill, cold laugh that rattled Keziah to her bones. He raised his wand high and tall–</p><p>There was a bright flash of green and an even louder bang. Keziah opened her eyes slowly, mildly terrified of what she might see. Baby Keziah was sitting calmly in her cot, staring up at the real Keziah. Harry was crying, gash marring his forehead. His scar, Keziah realised. Voldemort was nowhere to be seen, even his body turned into black dust. She stepped forward to investigate even more but it was like stepping off a cliff's edge.</p><p>Keziah was suddenly falling and falling. It was like Alice in Wonderland, with the rabbit hole, she thought, except there were no amusing objects but rather an endless fall into what Keziah guessed was a void.</p><p>She guessed wrong.</p><p>As quickly as she had fallen, Keziah was righted again, standing in the middle of a courtyard, next to a bright fountain. A woman was sitting there too, scooping up water and letting it fall from her fingers like liquid silver.</p><p>"Who are you?" Keziah blurted before she could stop herself. The woman smiled benignly but did not answer. Keziah turned away from her and looked around at the courtyard properly. It had cobblestones, with pearly granite arches and white sunshine streaming in from above. It was too perfect.</p><p>"What's going on?" Keziah asked, panic slipping in.</p><p>
  <em>'The Dark Lord fall by the mark of his follies,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Though the good be few and far between,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Death holds back when a new player enters the game,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And a pawn beats queen in Fate's grand scheme'</em>
</p><p>The woman sang those verses over and over again, like some creepy chant that Pennywise would sing. The weirdest thing was that her mouth didn't move but Keziah could tell it was her singing.</p><p>"What's going on?" Keziah asked again, more determined.</p><p>"You are, my dear," the woman smiled and pulled Keziah forward, running her fingers through Keziah's hair. She jolted, stepping away from the creepy old woman.</p><p>"What does that even mean?" she cried. There was no answer. Instead, the woman snapped her finger softly, though the sound rang across the courtyard like a small bell.</p><p>"Protect him, Keziah Potter," the woman said sternly, as Keziah 's vision began to fade, unconsciousness acting like an anchor, sweeping away all the questions and drowning her in sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah's eyes flew open and she jolted up. Protect who? She suddenly felt incredibly disorientated and uncomfortable. This wasn't her room, she realised as she looked around at the darkroom. It was quite small and full of broken toys. The wallpaper was old and peeling. Keziah wondered if she was kidnapped, especially when she realized she was sleeping on a thin mattress with a thin blanket. </p><p>Across the room, Keziah saw somebody else sleeping too. She silently slipped out of the covers and crept up to the window. She pushed back the curtains and was immediately incredibly confused. What kidnapper held their captives in such a perfect neighbourhood? Perhaps that was why her captor hid her here. Nobody would think to look in such a pristine place, Keziah decided triumphantly. The sun was quietly rising above the houses and her eyes caught onto a signpost. <em>"Privet Drive"</em>. </p><p>Keziah's eyes widened and she gasped sharply. She realised she was three feet shorter than she usually was. She dropped down to where the mattress was and felt around for a mirror. Thankfully, she quickly found a small handheld one. When Keziah looked in it, it was like she'd stepped back in time, but with deliberate mistakes. Her deep auburn hair hung around her shoulders, unbelievably frizzy. Her hazel eyes were darker and wider. Her face was babyish again, a smattering of freckles covering her flushed cheeks</p><p>The mirror dropped from Keziah's hand and cracked at her feet. The noise snapped her out of her daze and she quickly grabbed the broken mirror and hid it in a bin of ripped up comic books. Keziah tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. She knew where she was but that was impossible. How could Keziah be in-? She couldn't even think it. </p><p>Before Keziah could fully get her thoughts to calm down so she could properly come up with a conclusion, a sharp rapping interrupted the silence and a shrill voice rang through. Petunia Dursley, Keziah guessed.</p><p>"Up! Get up!" she screeched. Keziah heard her walk away and she saw a boy sit up sleepily from his mattress. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes while Keziah tried to shove down her panic. She waited for him to notice her, to scream that she wasn't supposed to be there but funnily enough, Keziah suspected that wouldn't happen. The dream, or vision, she'd had was still burned into her subconscious.</p><p>Footsteps approached the door again and Petunia was screeching again. "Are you up yet?" she demanded.</p><p>"Nearly," the boy mumbled.</p><p>"What about the girl?" she snapped</p><p>"I'm awake," Keziah called hesitantly. Her mind was still reeling. Somehow she'd been thrown into her favourite book series by a creepy old lady</p><p>"Well get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon and set the table. Don't you dare mess anything up! I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."</p><p>The boy groaned and mimed throwing up at her before grinning. Keziah grinned back awkwardly, guessing it was some sort of inside joke they shared. She couldn't bear to even think his name. Not yet. She quickly got up from her bed and pulled on a pair of socks. So did the boy.</p><p>They quickly made their way down the stairs to the kitchen where Petunia was waiting with a scowl.</p><p>"What took so long?" she hissed. Keziah ducked her head meekly and grabbed a tablecloth from the cupboard. She wondered how she knew where everything was since it seemed like her body was working on autopilot. Keziah carefully set the table for five, making sure nothing was out of place. Yet Petunia still looked dissatisfied but didn't say anything as a large boy entered the kitchen.</p><p>He looked incredibly like the pigs on her Feter's farm. His thick blond hair was squashed weirdly on his head, swooping above a pair of watery blue eyes that stared hungrily at the mountain of wrapped gifts. Keziah had seen fewer toys at Hamleys during Christmas. As she stared at him, Keziah realised all the descriptions in the books were quite accurate. Behind him was Vernon Dursley. </p><p>Vernon Dursley looked like the type of man who would shout obscenities at her as she left the synagogue. He was a large beefy man with a shoebrush moustache to rival Stalin's. His face was a permanent state of purple. As soon as he entered the kitchen his lip curled.</p><p>"Comb your hair! And you, you're a girl! At least look like it," Vernon barked, grabbing a newspaper and sitting heavily down in the largest chair. Keziah's fingers curled around the pitcher of water she was balancing in the middle of the table. She hated comments like that and had punched many boys for less. But Keziah guessed that wouldn't be smart with Vernon.</p><p>By that time, Harry had finished frying the eggs and bacon and set them down before taking his place next to Keziah. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. As Keziah ate, she stared at Petunia. The woman looked incredibly different to how she'd imagined, most likely due to the movies' choice of actress. This Petunia had a face that had sucked lemons all her life. Her blonde hair was pinned up by a long black clip and she was dressed in traditional forties housewife attire.  Keziah finally took a good look at Harry Potter.</p><p>His eyes were bright green and stood out brightly against his brown skin. His glasses were held together by a ridiculous amount of tape. His otherwise plain face was marred by a white scar that looked like a real bolt of lightning, travelling around his forehead.  It looked so much worse than the lightning emoji type thing that had been slapped on Daniel Radcliffe. His jet-black hair stood up in all directions, fluffy and crazy, a few tufts curling up.</p><p>"Only THIRTY-SIX?" Dudley's whiny voice cut in through the silence. "That's two less than last year!"</p><p>Keziah rolled her eyes and carried on eating her food. She had experienced plenty of tantrums from younger cousins and wasn't about to listen in on another one. She carried on eating her food, silently commending Harry, who cooked better than her mother on Sabbath. But that was a low bar to reach anyways.</p><p>"Khazer," she muttered, stabbing the egg with force. She hadn't touched the bacon and was trying to think of a way to discreetly dispose of it. The argument in front of her was rapidly escalating and Harry was eating quickly beside her. In the distraction, she shoved all of the meat onto Dudley's disturbingly high plate.</p><p>Thankfully the argument was interrupted by a phone call. As Petunia spoke in hushed tones, Keziah realised what today was. The zoo trip. She wondered if she was also able to talk to snakes. She hoped not. Keziah hated snakes, the venomous buggers. She shuddered at even the thought of them, the slithering legless demons.</p><p>They watched Dudley open all his presents and Keziah wrinkled her nose in disgust. She couldn't even imagine seeing her little brother opening that many presents. She watched in disgust and horror as he unwrapped a racing bike, cine-camera, several new video games and many more miscellaneous items that shouldn't have been on the birthday list of an eleven-year-old. He was in the middle of unwrapping a bloody gold wristwatch (why?) when Petunia returned, looking furious.</p><p>"Bad news, Vernon. Mrs Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them." Petunia said, looking as though she'd tasted something incredibly bitter by simply referring to the Potter 'siblings'. Dudley's mouth fell open comically. Keziah couldn't help but feel disappointed, imagining that if she'd been able to go to Mrs Figg's, she could've gotten the squib to contact Dumbledore and tell him about her predicament. "Now what?" Petunia spat.</p><p>"We could phone Marge?" Vernon grunted. Keziah gagged, she wanted to hold off meeting Vernon's beastly sister for as long as possible.</p><p>"Don't be silly, Vernon. She hates <em>them</em>," Keziah scowled at the tone Petunia used, as though she was talking to a pair of slugs instead of children. Keziah wanted to snap back at the horrible couple, but Keziah knew enough about them to guess she'd be severely punished. Keziah watched as the couple went back and forth about who to leave them with.</p><p>"You could leave us here?" Harry added in hopefully. Keziah shot him a look of pure empathy. He'd lived with the Dursleys for ten years, couldn't he guess that such a suggestion wouldn't work?</p><p>Suddenly Dudley burst into a loud fit of crocodile tears and Petunia rushed to console him. " I... don't... want... them... to... come," he blubbered, shooting them a nasty grin from behind his mother's bony shoulders. Checking that Vernon wasn't watching, Keziah flipped him off. The grin slid off as easy as grease. Thankfully, the doorbell rang before Dudley could unveil her crime. </p><p>"Oh, good lord, they're here!" Petunia cried frantically, fiddling with her apron as she bustled to greet the newcomers. A minute later a boy walked in. He was scrawny and his face might as well have been shaped using a sharpened sledgehammer. He fixed his beady eyes on her and smirked, raking his eyes up and down. She bared her teeth in a snarl and he quickly looked away. Point 1, Keziah.</p><p>Half an hour later, they were all squashed in the back seat of Vernon's BMW, with Dudley taking up a quarter of the seats and Keziah practically squashed onto Harry's lap. Before they'd left, Vernon had dragged them both to the side. His grip was so tight, Keziah was sure it would leave bruises. She glared at Vernon, venom dripping from her expression.</p><p>"I'm warning you," he said, flecks of spit flying into Keziah and Harry's faces. "I'm warning you, now. Any funny business, anything at all- and you'll be in that cupboard until Christmas, either of you. I don't care if I have to shove you both in there at once."</p><p>Harry desperately protested but Vernon wasn't hearing it. Keziah felt an indescribable amount of hatred towards Vernon at that moment. She grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him to the car, burning holes into the oversized khynok.</p><p>"Khamer...bloody bastard... amoretz... nem zich a vaneh... suck an egg... bleeding schlump," she muttered darkly, glancing sideways at Harry who looked like the entire world was out to get him. Keziah supposed that was somewhat true.</p><p>While they were driving, Vernon began a long stream of complaints. Keziah rolled her eyes. Eventually, the subject drifted onto motorbikes. "...roaring along like maniacs, the little hoodlums," he said, as a motorbike overtook them.</p><p>"I had a dream about a motorbike," Harry said suddenly, "it was flying." Vernon nearly crashed the car and Keziah snickered, tearing her eyes away from the glass to focus on the conversation. </p><p>"MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!" Vernon bellowed, his face resembling an overcooked beet.</p><p>"They could," Keziah cut in. " I mean if aeroplanes are a thing, there's logistically nothing stopping humanity from creating flying vehicles," she reasoned. Vernon turned to her, his face going a deeper purple.</p><p>"MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!" Vernon bellowed even louder. Dudley and his friend, whose name were Piers, sniggered and Harry shot her a warning look. Keziah shrugged, smirking at Vernon's outrage.</p><p>"Alright," she said jauntily, reminded of her days in Secondary School, filled with detention simply for her mouth.</p><p>They soon pulled up in the zoo, which was buzzing with people. Keziah scowled at the sun, which was beating down on them. She rolled up the giant sleeves of the shirt that she guessed was Dudley's. It was emblazoned with a Queen's logo, which surprised her. She'd assumed that the Dursleys were allergic to anything even remotely interesting. </p><p>The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers huge, heaping chocolate ice-cream full of diabetes. Before the Dursley's could hurry them away, the smiling ice-cream lady asked the Potter 'siblings' what they wanted. Keziah felt incredibly satisfied as she licked her bubblegum lolly, smirking at Petunia and Vernon.</p><p>They walked around the zoo all morning and Harry never stopped grinning. Keziah was less excited, realising what was going to happen. How this morning would eventually fall to shite. She glanced at Harry, who was still happily oblivious while he slurped on the melted remains of Dudley's knickerbocker glory. Keziah wasn't too fond of the desert and eagerly let Harry eat it. </p><p>"Kezi? You okay?" Harry asked quietly, elbowing her affectionately with a soft smile. </p><p>"M'fine," she mumbled, taking a particularly large bite of her chicken burger to avoid explaining herself. After they finished lunch, they moved on to the reptile house. Glancing quickly at Harry, who was innocently wandering around, she attached herself to Petunia. If she was close to the blonde hag, Keziah guessed that she wouldn't get blamed for anything. Petunia, drifted over to where a large chameleon sat and Keziah quietly followed, chewing at her nails. There were a few minutes of silence as Keziah stared at the reptile, watching its eyes roll around.  A few minutes was all it took for the chaos to erupt.</p><p>Keziah whipped around as soon as she heard two high-pitched screams. Piers and Dudley had jumped back from the glass in horror and an incredibly large boa constrictor was slithering around ankles.</p><p>"God's sake, Harry," she murmured, staying as far away from the snake as possible, trying to calm her rapidly increasing heart rate and steady her shaking hands. So perhaps she was more scared of snakes than she'd thought.</p><p>The ride back home had been horrible. For once, Keziah could sympathise with Piers and Dudley who had been reducing to gibbers. But once they began spinning tall tales about how the snake had nearly murdered them, she felt the sympathy wear off. Thankfully, keeping by Petunia saved Keziah from the hot seat. The only problem was that it meant Harry was shoved right in.</p><p>"Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?" Piers spoke up. Keziah elbowed him sharply but the damage was already done. She watched in dread as Vernon's face filled with red, hot anger. They dropped Piers off at his house in silence, where he rapidly scrambled home, no doubt waiting to retell his 'near-death' experience. However, as soon as Vernon had stepped foot in the house he started on Harry.</p><p>"Go- cupboard- stay- no meals," he said, his voice brittle with rage. Keziah felt an enormous amount of pity for Harry as he shuffled into the cupboard under the stairs. But Vernon looked like he was eager to start on another person, so she kept quiet, tears filling her eyes. </p><p>That night, lying in the cold, dark room alone, having already slipped Harry half of her dinner, she sat in silent fury. She knew who was responsible for both of them being stuck with such abusive bastards and Keziah was quite ready to change that. But she needed a plan for such a thing to happen.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a comment!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With every passing day that Harry spent locked away like a prisoner, the more Keziah's fury grew. Going to school was no better. Keziah quickly realised the grip Dudley and his stupid gang of bullies had on their Primary School. It was almost laughable how terrified everyone was. Since all Keziah's memories of Year Six had been positive, it shocked her to be shunned and treated like a flea-bitten stray. She scowled at the gaggle of girls who would stand around snickering at her clothes, full of holes and rips and five sizes too big. Keziah hadn't hated anyone before, but she certainly hated the Dursleys. They were so cruel it would be cartoonish if Keziah wasn't experiencing it first hand.</p><p>But she also saw other things. She saw how every girl who laughed at her suddenly had broken shoes and clothes full of rips. Magic, she'd guess with a pounding heart.</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah woke up with the same heavy heart she did every day. As usual, her eyes scanned the room, hoping they'd see her grey walls, covering in posters and bunting. But every day, she was disappointed. She desperately missed her family. She missed her mum, she missed Daniel with his stupid football obsession. Keziah sighed, wiping away the beginning of tears</p><p>It was already the summer holidays and she was desperate for some action. Life at the Dursleys reminded her of Dementors, soulless and soul-sucking. Thankfully, Harry had been released, so she wasn't completely alone. Keziah looked over at the window, where the sun was just beginning to peak over the rooftops. It was still far too early to get up but she couldn't get back to sleep.</p><p>Instead, Keziah stared at the grey school uniform that was lying, scrunched up in a pile at the foot of her mattress. The uniform for Stonewall High. She felt slightly relieved that Petunia had even bought her the uniform, second-hand, mind you. The dress code called for skirts, which meant Petunia couldn't subject her to Dudley's old clothes. Harry, however, didn't even get that luxury. It was a shame that she wouldn't wear the clothes anyway if Hogwarts didn't realise she was a muggle from an alternate universe. But, Keziah thought optimistically, at least she didn't have the wear the monstrosity that was Dudley's uniform. She and Harry had busted at least two ribs trying not to laugh at how ridiculous their cousin had looked.</p><p>Keziah sat in silence until the rest of the house woke up, wallowing in self-pity and nostalgia. Her bad mood was immediately erased, though, when she walked into the kitchen, along with Harry. It was replaced by anticipation, though she couldn't tell what for. A terrible smell burned at her nostrils, wafting from a large metal tin in the sink. She buried her nose in her shirt, leaning back into her chair. </p><p>Vernon and Dudley entered the kitchen next, with the latter hitting everything with his stupid Smeltings stick. Keziah gritted her teeth, envisioning striking him right on the head with it. She settled for stabbing her sausages with extra vigour. They sat in tense silence for a few minutes, trying not to breathe in the smell of Harry's uniform. Then they heard the click of the letterbox and the soft thump of the mail. After a brief argument, Harry left to go collect it.</p><p>Keziah's heart quickened and breathing was suddenly way harder. Something was about to happen, she was sure of it. She craned her neck, trying to see why Harry was taking so long to return.</p><p>"What's the matter, boy? Looking for letter bombs?" Vernon chuckled. Keziah swore, dropping her spoon onto the floor with a clatter. Everyone in the room stared at her. She blushed and ducked under the table to grab the spoon, swearing under her breath. The Hogwarts letters would come today. </p><p>She considered running out of the kitchen and tearing the letters away from Harry's grip but she figured that was a bad idea. It was too late anyway, as Harry re-entered the room, holding two thick yellow envelopes after he gave the Dursleys their things.</p><p>"Dad!" Dudley called out. "Dad, Harry's got something!"</p><p>"This should be good," Keziah muttered, poking a glob of porridge with her spoon.</p><p>Vernon snatched both letters out of Harry's grip, ignoring his objections. He glanced casually at the letters and gasped. His face changed colours faster than traffic lights before taking on the pallor of their breakfast. Keziah sighed, pinching her nose.</p><p>"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped. Petunia grabbed one of the letters and curiously read the first line. Her expression changed and Keziah wondered if she would have to fetch a fainting couch. </p><p>"Vernon! Vernon, oh my goodness!" she whispered in a strangled voice. They were being so dramatic it was funny.</p><p>"Are we going to see those letters or are you going to keep imitating fish?" Keziah snapped, glaring at the two adults. Harry stared at her, shocked at her gall. Vernon and Petunia jumped, looking back at the three children in the room.</p><p>"Get out, all of you!" Vernon barked.</p><p>"Those letters are for me and Kezi!" Harry shouted.</p><p>"I want to read them!" Dudley cried. </p><p>Keziah leaned back in her chair, still eating her porridge. She would read the letters one way or another and she wasn't in the mood for arguments. </p><p>"OUT!" Vernon bellowed. Keziah flinched at the volume and darted out of the kitchen. Seconds later, Harry and Dudley were flung out too. </p><p>"Don't you want to know what was in your letter?" Harry seethed, glaring at her. She looked up, shrugging. </p><p>"Obviously, but I'm smart enough not to fight Vernon for it," she said bluntly, chewing on a hangnail. Harry didn't look convinced and crept back towards the door. He and Dudley had a quick and silent fight over who got to listen and the keyhole, which ended with Harry on his stomach, ear pressed to the gap under the door.</p><p>Keziah just leaned on the wall, watching Petunia and Vernon's silhouettes pace the kitchen in urgency. It was laughable how worked up they would get over the entire situation.</p><p>That evening, when Vernon came back from work, Keziah and Harry were waiting for him. Well, Harry was. Keziah had been dragged along for moral support, impatient for when Hagrid would arrive.</p><p>"Where are our letters?" Harry cried as soon as Vernon squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to us?"</p><p>"It was a mistake," Vernon grunted. "I burned it."</p><p>"You're a liar," Keziah hissed, her arms folded and her voice dangerously even. "Those letters had our names on them. Plus it's illegal to tamper with mail that isn't addressed to you, anyways."</p><p>"SILENCE!" Vernon bellowed, slamming his hand into the wall. Keziah bristled, glaring up at the pathetic excuse of a human.</p><p>"No!" she shouted. "Those were our letters! We have a right to them! You're scared! You're scared by whoever's writing to us and you know they're going to try again.</p><p>"COME ON!" she shouted towards the door. "Try as much as you like! Get us out of this bloody place!"</p><p>"You," Vernon snarled. "You shut up, right now! Those! Letters! Were! A! Mistake! And they certainly won't be writing again. Get up to your room, now! And don't even think you're getting dinner."</p><p>Keziah opened her mouth to say something else but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stopped to stare back at Harry who was subtlety shaking his head. She closed her mouth and stormed up the stairs, slamming the door so hard it shook the floor.</p><p>Anger surged through her veins like liquid fire. Keziah wasn't usually a confrontational person but there was something about Vernon Dursley that broke down all her restraints. She sighed her breath stuttering and shuddering. She flopped down on her lumpy mattress, burying her face in the thin pillow. She hated Dumbledore too. How could he think it was acceptable, on any level, to let Harry stay with such monsters?</p><p>Keziah punched her pillow and just like that, the dam was broken. She punched the pillow, again and again, screaming and sobbing at the unfairness of everything. Like a waterfall, it all flowed out: her anger at the Dursleys, her anger at Dumbledore, her anger at whoever the hell put her in this stupid situation. She let it all flood out until the sky was dark and her pillow soaked with tears and thoroughly battered.</p><p>She didn't know how much time had passed until Harry entered the room, holding a small plate of food.</p><p>"Hey, Keziah. You awake?" he asked softly.</p><p>"Yeah. Sorry I freaked out. He just makes me so–" Keziah growled, shaking her fists. Harry shook her shoulder slightly, putting the food in her lap.</p><p>"I get it. But there's no use getting mad about it otherwise we'll be mad our entire lives. Now I have a plan to get those letters," Harry said, sitting next to her on the bed.</p><p>The next morning, Harry and Keziah snuck downstairs. Keziah was holding a broken flashlight which could offer a dim burst of light if you tried hard enough. It was around six in the morning, the hallway dark. </p><p>A scream echoed through the silence. Keziah jumped a foot in the air, accidentally turning on the flashlight and subsequently dropping it. It rolled around until it shone on a face. A livid Vernon Dursley in a squashy, blue sleeping bag.</p><p>The man had been waiting there to stop the children from doing exactly what they'd planned on doing. Vernon yelled at them for around half an hour, this time without Keziah's retaliation, before sending them off to make breakfast.</p><p>By the time they dashed back to the hallway, Keziah could see Vernon shredding around six letters, all in green ink. That day Vernon didn't go to work and spent the day hammering nails into the letterbox, with Keziah making sarcastic comments the entire time. She only stopped when Vernon threatened to do her head in with the hammer.</p><p>"See," he'd explained proudly to Petunia through a mouthful of nails. "If they can't deliver them, they'll just have to give up."</p><p>"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."</p><p>"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him. Keziah grinned.</p><p>"Are you sure they're the insane ones," she laughed before Harry pulled her away in fear of flying nails.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>On Friday, no less than twenty-four letters had arrived for Harry and Keziah. They showed up in every literal nook and cranny of the house, including the downstairs toilet. Naturally, Vernon had taken another day off to board up the front and back door so nobody could go in and out. He hummed 'Tiptoes through the Tulips' as he worked and jumped at the slightest of sounds. Keziah hadn't pointed out how crazy he sounded and spent the day dropping objects randomly and rattling pencil pots. Petunia had forced her, afterwards, to scrub down the entire kitchen.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>On Saturday, things got to an amusing standard. Around fifty letters found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside their delivery of eggs that their very confused milkman handed to Petunia through the living-room window. While Vernon made furious phonecalls to anyone even remotely connected to the post office and dairy sector, Petunia shredded the letters in her food mixer.</p><p>"Who wants to talk to you this badly," Dudley had asked Harry and Keziah in amazement.</p><p>"Who wouldn't?" Keziah had said back, flipping her hair and posing. It had gotten a very rare laugh out of Dudley, which then set Harry into shock for an hour.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>On Sunday morning, Vernon slumped into his chair, looking tired and ill but disturbingly happy.</p><p>"No post on Sundays," he said cheerfully, spreading marmalade on his newspapers. Keziah choked back her laughter from behind her toast. "No damn letters today–"</p><p>Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and struck him sharply on the neck.</p><p>"Are you sure about that?" Keziah laughed as around forty letters came rushing into the kitchen like bullets. The Dursleys dived into their seats, while Keziah and Harry tried to grab a letter. </p><p>"Out! OUT!"</p><p>Uncle Vernon seized Harry by the waist and tossed him into the hall, followed by Keziah, who pounded her fists against his thick arms screaming bloody murder. When Petunia and Dudley rushed out the kitchen, covering their faces desperately, Vernon shut the door with a harsh click. They could still hear the letter streaming into the room, bouncing off every surface.</p><p>"That does it!" said Vernon, trying to sound calm while pulling out half of his moustache. "I want you all back here in five minutes, ready to leave. Just pack some clothes. We're going away. No arguments."</p><p>He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that not even Keziah dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.</p><p>They drove and they drove and they drove. Not even Petunia dared ask where they were going. Now and then, Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive off in the opposite direction while muttering under his breath, his face split in a crazy smile.</p><p>"Shake 'em off... shake 'em off..." he would mutter when he did this. Keziah's tongue was practically bleeding from all the comments she'd bit back.</p><p>They didn't stop to eat or drink for the entire day and by nightfall, Dudley was bawling. Keziah smirked at him in the closest thing to sympathy she'd ever felt for the boy. </p><p>Uncle Vernon finally stopped outside a gloomy hotel on the edge of a big city. Keziah had noticed how Petunia had frozen up when they'd parked and frowned. She didn't push, though.</p><p>Dudley, Harry and Keziah shared a room, with the Potter children squashed into one twin bed. Dudley snored peacefully while they sat, watching the lights of the industrial city, wondering...</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes for breakfast the next morning. Keziah was so hungry that she didn't even have time to wrinkle her nose at the meal. They'd polished the last of the food when the hotel owner approached them.</p><p>"Scuse me, but are any of you, Mr H. Potter and Missus K. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred or so of these at the front desk."</p><p>She held up two letters with spookily accurate addresses written in identical spidery green ink.  Keziah jumped up, trying to grab the letter but Vernon was too quick. He stood up, knocking her out of her seat. The woman stared.</p><p>"I'll take them," he said sweetly motioning for the woman to move.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>"Wouldn't it be better to go home, dear?" Petunia asked timidly, hours later but Vernon had been struck deaf by his insanity. Exactly what he was looking for, nobody could guess. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.</p><p>"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Petunia that afternoon after Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car and disappeared. </p><p>"For once in your life, I think you might be right, Dudley," Keziah muttered tiredly. Even Petunia was so mentally exhausted by her husband's antics that she didn't say anything to reprimand Keziah.</p><p>It started to rain. Great big drops hammered on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled, curling up into his mother.</p><p>"It's Monday," he said, tearfully. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television."</p><p>The statement broke Keziah out of her trance. This stupid escapade was nearly over. In less than twelve hours, Hagrid would arrive and explain the entire mess, while putting Vernon in his rightful place. Namely, six feet under.</p><p>Vernon was back and he was smiling, while carrying a suspicious package, long and thin. He didn't answer Petunia when she asked him what he'd bought and was looking creepily similar to Pennywise from 2017's IT.</p><p>"Found the perfect place," e said brightly. "Come on! Everyone out!"</p><p>It was very cold outside the car and the chilling wind wasn't helping. Keziah shivered, even in her thick jeans and overflowing jumper underneath the giant raincoat Petunia had tossed her earlier. Vernon was pointing far out to sea, where the most miserable shack you'd have ever seen sat on top of a large rock.</p><p>"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"</p><p>A toothless old man came hobbling towards them, pointing at an old rowing boat bobbing sadly in the iron-grey water. Keziah looked back at Vernon's stupid car which never looked more inviting.</p><p>"Are you mad?" she screamed over the fray of the ocean and the shrill whistle of the wind. "I'm not getting in that thing! You'll get us all killed!" </p><p>Vernon's fragile mask of cheeriness cracked slightly and his eyes flashed, madness reflecting in them. He gripped the package in his hands tightly, shaking his head at her.</p><p>"I've got us some rations," he said, his voice cracking, "so all aboard!"</p><p>Keziah wanted desperately to bury herself in the car, dragging Harry with her but she was truly terrified. Vernon had gone mad, for sure, so she followed. It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.</p><p>"You're crazy," Keziah muttered, shaking water everywhere in a desperate attempt to dry herself. The inside of the shack was as horrible as Vernon's personality. It smelled worse than a fish market in late July. The wind poked through tiny gaps like icy knives and the fireplace was damp and empty.</p><p>The rations Vernon had brought along turned out to be a packet of crisps each, as well a banana. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisp packets just smoked and shrivelled up. Keziah was close to tears, starving and furious. She imagined stealing Vernon's phone and begging for the police to try and find them. The only thing keeping her sane was the hope that Hagrid would show up.</p><p>"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" Verno said cheerily.</p><p>"We get it, you sadistic— you've won, alright? Now shut up about it," Keziah snapped, rubbing her arms to keep warm. </p><p>As night fell, the storm truly rolled in. Water splattered against the walls of the hut and a ferocious wind rattled the filthy windows. Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and the Potters were left to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket on the floor. </p><p>"It's going to be your birthday in ten minutes," Keziah whispered, pointing at Dudley's glowing watch. Harry nodded, smiling slightly.</p><p>They watched the little clock count down, though for very different reasons. The sea slapped hard against the rock, a funny crumbling sound drifting from outside. Keziah resisted a grin. Things were about to get interesting.</p><p>"BOOM!"</p><p>Harry shot up, staring at the shaking door in terror. Somebody was trying to enter the hut, Keziah thought with a smile as the person outside hit the door again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hoped you enjoyed it! Leave a comment ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The entire hut rattled with the last BOOM, waiting for the final hit. Keziah quivered with excitement. It was finally starting! The story had truly begun. She gripped Harry's arm tightly, rocking back and forth.</p><p>"Keziah what are-" </p><p>Harry was cut off by a final SMASH. The door fell at the feet of a truly gargantuan man, like a simple domino piece. Keziah inhaled sharply as she stared at the stranger, taken aback at his rather fierce appearance, his silhouette illuminated by a particularly bold strike of lightning. He was at least twice the size of a normal adult and five times as wide. His face was mostly shadowed by a shaggy mane of hair and a wild bush of a beard. His black overcoat was riddled with pockets and might as well have been a size XXXXL. </p><p>The giant squished his way into the tiny hut, fitting the door back into place as easily as a puzzle piece. The clamour of the storm lessened ever so slightly. Keziah gasped, shifting onto her shaking knees. The reality of her situation hit her like the Knight Bus. </p><p>Before she could say a word, Vernon came skidding into the room holding a thin rifle. She wrinkled her nose at the firearm.</p><p>"A gun? They're illegal, how did you get one? Are you going to shoot him?" she cried, jumping to her feet. Vernon's pale blue eyes glinted dangerously, but before he could respond, the giant leaned over.</p><p>"Shoot me? No' likely!" he grunted, twisting the gun into a pretzel as though it was putty. He turned to her and Harry and stared at them, his beetle-like eyes crinkled into a smile.</p><p>"I haven't seen you two since you were babies. Harry, you look like yer dad but yeh got yer mum's eyes. And, Keziah, yeh look awfully like yer mum. A perfect pair," he said with a smile. Keziah gaped like a fish. She tried desperately to find anything to say, but he had already turned away to focus on Harry.</p><p>"A very happy birthday to yeh. I got summat fer yeh here- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."</p><p>From the inside pocket of his coat, Hagrid brought out a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in gooey green icing. Keziah's mouth watered at the sight of it. The packet of crisps and the banana she'd eaten earlier felt hours away.</p><p>Harry looked up the giant, his eyes full of gratitude. </p><p>"Who are you?" Harry asked innocently. Keziah elbowed him sharply, glowering.</p><p>"Harry! You can't say that!" she hissed. The giant chuckled.</p><p>"I suppose I should introduce meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Groundskeeper of Hogwarts."</p><p>There it is, Keziah thought. This was happening. She subtly pinched herself and winced at the jab of pain. Yep, it was real. Hagrid held out his dustbin-lid hands and shook the siblings' arms. </p><p>"How about some tea, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together and turning to the empty grate. "Though I won't say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."</p><p>Hagrid spotted the charred packets lying pathetically in the grate and snorted. He bent down over the fireplace muttering something. Keziah craned her neck and saw the beginnings of something pink but it disappeared before she could get a closer look. Hagrid leaned back and there was suddenly a roaring fire. It filled the entire hut with flickering light and Keziah clambered forward, letting the unexpected heat wash over her like a warm bath.</p><p>Hagrid sunk onto the couch, much to Dudley's fright. The boy jumped up, running to cower behind Vernon and Petunia. Keziah grinned openly, wiggling her fingers at her cousin. The giant, meanwhile, had begun taking a manner of things out of his pockets. There was a copper kettle, a squashy pack of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped and faded teacups and a bottle of amber liquid, which he took a swig from, before stashing it back into his coat.</p><p>The hut soon filled with the smell and sound of sizzling sausages. Keziah's stomach grumbled slightly as she watched, crouched next to Hagrid's knees, her arm around Harry. The entire room was silent while the giant worked but as he finished up on the first six slightly burnt sausages, Dudley fidgeted slightly. </p><p>"Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley," Vernon said sharply. Keziah giggled.</p><p>"As if he needs any more food," she muttered, thanking Hagrid as he passed her a few sausages. She was so hungry she forgot to ask if the food was Kosher or not, but at that moment, she didn't care. Harry still hadn't torn his eyes away from Hagrid and Keziah couldn't either. </p><p>"I'm sorry, but I still don't know you are," Harry spoke up nervously, his face basking in the orangey firelight. </p><p>Call me Hagrid, everyone does," he said, "An' as I told yeh, I'm the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts o' course."</p><p>Harry flushed and fidgeted. "We don't. Why would we know anything about this Hogwarts place?" Keziah said rapidly, hiding behind her hair.</p><p>Hagrid looked astonished. </p><p>"Sorry," Harry mumbled quickly, trying to appease the furious giant.</p><p>"Sorry?" Hagrid barked, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who'd shrunk into the shadows. "It's them who should be sorry! I knew yeh two weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer crying out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"</p><p>Keziah looked down at her scuffed-up trainers, blushing. It was slightly amusing, watching Hagrid blow up but it technically wasn't necessary. She wished she could blow them all away with her knowledge without looking intensely suspicious. </p><p>"All what?" Harry piped up.</p><p>"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered, "Now wait for jus' a second!"</p><p>He lept to his feet, swelling up to fill the entire hut in his anger. The Dursleys cowered against the wall. The only person Keziah felt any sort of pity for was Dudley. </p><p>"'Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that these kids– these kids! – knows nothin' abou' – about ANYTHING?"</p><p>Keziah smiled secretly, while Harry looked mildly offended.</p><p>"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do maths and stuff."</p><p>"I don't think that's what he means, Harry," she whispered to him.</p><p>"Yeh don't know? About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."</p><p>"They barely remember to feed us. Why would they tell us anything about our parents? We don't even know what they look like," Keziah asked loudly, grinning directly at Vernon when Hagrid's expression darkened dangerously.</p><p>"DURSLEY!" he boomed. Vernon had gone very, very pale and mumbled something under his breath. Hagrid glared at his venomously and turned back to them.</p><p>"But yeh must know about yeh mum and dad," he said, desperately. "I mean, they're famous! Yeh're famous, Harry. Keziah-" Hagrid trailed off awkwardly and she immediately understood. The fates were right. She wasn't going to take Harry's destiny nor any shred of it. That meant she wouldn't be well known either. People didn't get famous for being overlooked.</p><p>"What! Our- our mum and dad weren't famous, were they?" Harry asked. </p><p>"Yeh don't know... yeh don't know..." Hagrid was at his wit's end, raking his fingers through his thick, matted hair.</p><p>"Yeh don't know what yeh both are?" he said. Vernon made a low grumbling noise and stood forward, having finally recovered his voice. </p><p>"Stop," he commanded, his moustache wobbling, "I forbid you to tell them anything!"</p><p>A braver and more intelligent man than Vernon Dursley would've yielded under the furious look Hagrid gave him. When Hagrid spoke, every syllable trembled with rage. Keziah suddenly wished she had popcorn. </p><p>"You never told them? Never told them what was in that letter Dumbledore left fer them? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you kept it from his all these years?"</p><p>"Kept what from us?" Keziah said dangerously, although she was already sure of the answer. She just enjoyed raising the tension.</p><p>"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" Vernon screeched in a panic. Petunia gasped dramatically.</p><p>"Go boil yer heads, both of yeh," Hagrid growled. "Harry, Keziah- yeh're a wizard. And yeh're a witch."</p><p>Keziah's face broke out into a grin. For how long had she dreamed of hearing those words.</p><p>"Harry, did you hear him? This is so bloody-"</p><p>"We're- what?" Harry cut her off, staring at Hagrid suspiciously.</p><p>"Yeh're magic, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down onto the sofa, "an' thumpin' good' uns, I'd say, after yeh been trained up a bit. With a mum and dad like yours, what else would yeh both be? An' I reckon it's time yeh read yer letters."</p><p>Keziah snatched the awaiting parchment from Hagrid, her hands shaking violently. She couldn't quite remember how to breathe but that didn't seem too important at the moment. She grinned toothily at her name etched into the yellowed envelope, loopy and green. </p><p>
  <strong>HOGWARTS SCHOOL </strong>
  <em>
    <strong>of </strong>
  </em>
  <strong> WITCHCRAFT </strong>
  <em>
    <strong>and</strong>
  </em>
  <strong>  WIZARDRY</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dear Ms Potter,</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Yours sincerely,</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Minerva McGonagall,</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Deputy Headmistress</strong>
</p><p>Keziah's heart was performing a tapdance routine inside her chest. Excitement bounced around inside her like fireworks. She grabbed Harry's arm to stop herself from bouncing all around the room. </p><p>"What does it mean, they await my owl?" Harry asked, waving around his letter. </p><p>"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with the force of a minor earthquake.</p><p>"Do you think that's a thing?" Keziah murmured to Harry.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Galloping gorgons? Imagine it, Medusa on a horse,"</p><p>"She'd turn it to stone, though,"</p><p>"What if she didn't?" Keziah whispered and they both quietly cracked up. Petunia looked scandalised. Hagrid had finished writing a note to Dumbledore explaining their situation and pulled out a small, ruffled owl. Keziah squealed.</p><p>"Can I do it?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.</p><p>"What?" Hagrid asked, confused.</p><p>"Can I send off the owl, please," she mumbled, fiddling with the hem of her oversized jumper.</p><p>"Course yeh can, Keziah! C'mere." Hagrid beckoned her closer and placed the fluffy creature gently in her palms. Keziah grinned brightly and cupped the tiny owl in her hands and flung it out the window. It barrelled through the rain for a few seconds before unfurling its wings and disappearing into the darkness.</p><p>"That was awesome, Kezi!" Harry high-fived her, though he looked thoroughly confused. But, of course, Vernon had to ruin the fun.</p><p>"They're not going!" he said firmly. Hagrid snorted.</p><p>"I'd like ter see a Muggle like yerself stop them," he taunted.</p><p>"A what?" Harry asked, interested. </p><p>"A Muggle," Hagrid repeated. Keziah glanced over at the Dursleys, who all looked a millimetre more confident. "It's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."</p><p>"They're not horrible because they're Muggles," Keziah interjected, "They're horrible because they're pathetic people with nothing better to do than abuse orphans."</p><p>Everyone stared at her. She shrugged. "It's true."</p><p>"We swore when we took those <em>children</em> in," Vernon growled, saying the word children in the tone you'd use for a nasty pile of dogshit, "we'd put a stop to that rubbish! Swore we'd stamp it right out! Wizards and Witches, indeed!"</p><p>"You knew!" Harry shouted.<br/>"Of course, they knew Harry. Aunt Petunia was mum's sister," Keziah said, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course, we knew! How could you two not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that ... that school – and came home every holiday with her pockets full of frog-spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was ... a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"</p><p>She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed like she had been wanting to say all this for years.</p><p>"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you and then got knocked up again with you, and of course, I knew you'd both be just the same, just as strange, just as ... as ... abnormal ... and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with two more freaks!"</p><p>The colour drained out of Harry's face while Keziah's darkened. She ground her hands into fists to stop herself from punching the bitter old woman.</p><p>"Blown up?" Harry said quietly, the two words saturated with fury, "You told us they'd been blown up in a CAR CRASH!"</p><p>"CAR CRASH!" Hagrid roared, making everyone jump. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! It's a scandal! How could the Potters not know their own stories when every kid in our world knows Harry's name?" </p><p>Hagrid glanced at her, clearly uncomfortable that he couldn't include her, but she motioned for him to go on.</p><p>"Why, what happened?" Harry asked urgently.</p><p>The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious, twisting his thumbs around each other.</p><p>"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh kids– but someones gotta – yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."</p><p>"Not knowing what, Hagrid?" Keziah asked quietly, trying not to seem too accepting of the whole situation.</p><p>Keziah sat in raptured silence as Hagrid wove the tale of Lily and James Potter and how they met their end to Lord Voldemort. She, obviously, already knew everything that happened but the way Hagrid told the story made it feel like it was a novel concept. Hagrid was just finishing his tale when Vernon butted in.</p><p>"Load of old tosh," he said, his fists clenched. Harry jumped, clearly having forgotten about the Dursleys' presence. Keziah wasn't amused.</p><p>"Can you shut up? Take your stupid opinion and go shove it up your– " Keziah was cut off by Harry, who clapped a hand over her mouth. Petunia looked furious and Vernon was no better.</p><p>"Now you listen here, girl," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about both of you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured. And as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better of without them in my opinion-"</p><p>"Then it's a good thing nobody asked," Keziah growled back, gently pushing Harry away. </p><p>"Asked for all they got," Vernon steamrolled on, "getting mixed up with these wizarding types– just what I expected! Always knew they'd come to a sticky end–"</p><p>But at that moment, Vernon was interrupted by a very fierce Hagrid. The giant lept over the sofa in one swift movement, brandishing a pink umbrella at Vernon's chest like a sword.</p><p>"I'm warning you, Dursley– I'm warning you– one more word..."</p><p>In danger of turning into a shish-kebab à la umbrella, Vernon backed away into the wall, swallowing his words. </p><p>Keziah scowled at him, shocked that any human being could be so disrespectful to a pair of dead parents. Harry, meanwhile, had carried on interrogating Hagrid on He-Whose-Name-Must-Be-Hyphenated. If you thought about it, Voldemort was rather ridiculous. No wonder he was a seventy-something-year-old virgin. Keziah blinked, realizing she'd zoned out and turned back to the conversation.</p><p>"Hagrid," Harry mumbled, "I think you must've made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."</p><p>Keziah frowned, while Hagrid burst out into laughs. </p><p>"Harry, of course, we're wizards! You heard Hagrid's story, you beat wizard Hitler when you were a baby! And what about the glass at the zoo?" she prompted, hooking her elbow around Harry's neck and giving him a comforting hug. </p><p>"Exactly! You're tellin' me you've never made things happen when yer scared or angry?" Hagrid smiled. Harry looked down at his shoes for a few seconds but lifted it back up, beaming.</p><p>"See? Harry and Keziah Potter, not wizards? You wait and see, yeh'll both be bloody legends at Hogwarts."</p><p>Sadly, Vernon didn't know the definition of shutting the hell up and threw his two pennies in.</p><p>"Haven't I told you they're not going? They're going to Stonewall High and there's nothing you or the rest of your lot can do to stop it. I've read those letters and they need all sort of rubbish– spell books and wands..."</p><p>"If they want ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop 'em," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's kids goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. Their names have been down ever since they were born. They're off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and they won't know 'emselves. They'll be with youngsters of their own sort, fer a change, an' they'll be under the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbled-"</p><p>"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH THEM MAGIC TRICKS!" Vernon bellowed. </p><p>Finally, the bastard had gone too far. Keziah watched in astonished glee as Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it dramatically over his head. "NEVER– " Hagrid thundered, "– INSULT– ALBUS – DUMBLEDORE– IN– FRONT– OF– ME!"</p><p>He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley. There was a burst of violet light, the bang of a firecracker, a sharp squeal and next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot, clutching his bottom, howling in pain.</p><p>"HAGRID!" Keziah screeched, as Dudley turned around to reveal a curly pig's tail poking out of his trousers. Vernon roared, pulling Petunia and his son into the other room. Harry's face was alight with amusement while Keziah's was more matched with horror. She'd known this was going to happen but it was still unexpected.</p><p>Hagrid lowered his umbrella, stroking his beard guiltily. </p><p>"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much-left ter do."</p><p>Against her will, Keziah smiled slightly at Hagrid's comment. The giant shot a sideways glance at the children under his bushy eyebrows.</p><p>"Be grateful if yeh don't mention that ter anyone a' Hogwarts," he rumbled. Keziah lost interest in the conversation again and scooted over to the fire, grabbing Dudley's thick blanket and curling up, smiling.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a comment ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah was woken up very rudely, the next morning. She had been having a pleasant dream, though she couldn't exactly remember it, and the next thing she knew, she was being hauled into a cramped wooden boat.</p><p>"What the hell is going on?" she squawked, thrashing around and feeling her fists hit something. </p><p>"Kezi! Calm down!" Harry yelled, his voice weirdly muffled. She heeded his words and stopped, properly taking a look around. She was being carried by Hagrid. He set her down in the tiny boat they'd used to get to the island.</p><p>"Sorry, Keziah. Yeh wasn't wakin' up an' we needed to ge' a move on," Hagrid said, cheerily. </p><p>"S'fine," she groaned, running her hands through her tangled hair. She looked down at her clothes, rumpled and wrinkled from sleeping on the floor and scowled. She redid her boot's laces and smoothed down her appearance.</p><p>Harry passed her the cake box when they'd all settled down and she set to devouring the piece left.</p><p>"Sleep well?" she asked him, nonchalantly.</p><p>"I thought this was all a dream," Harry admitted, pointing at Hagrid.</p><p>"Oh, Harry. Like you have enough brainpower to imagine something this crazy," she teased him. Although at first Keziah had been uncomfortable with Harry, after a month in this crazy situation, she'd grown fond of him.</p><p>"Shut up," he laughed, shoving her gently. Behind them, Hagrid was fiddling with the boat, tapping it with his pink umbrella.</p><p>" Seems a shame ter row, though," the giant said, giving them another sideways look, "If I was ter– er– speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"</p><p>"Of course not, Hagrid," Harry and Keziah said together.</p><p>"Jinx! You owe me something!" Keziah shouted, playfully punching Harry's arm. He glared at her before breaking into a similar grin. Hagrid, meanwhile, had settled down to read a newspaper. The Daily Prophet. She wrinkled her nose at it, remembering how much of a tabloid it became in the later books.</p><p>"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page. <em>Typical</em>, Keziah echoed in her head.</p><p>"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked eagerly.</p><p>"Harry, please. Wizard or Muggle, there's always a government to mess things up," Keziah said reasonably.</p><p>"Too right, Keziah," Hagrid agreed, "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister but, o' course, he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if there ever was one. He pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, so he can get advice."</p><p>"Then why the hell is he in office?" Keziah asked although the irregularities of the Wizarding World political system was already quite familiar to her. "He's not fit to run this world if he can't even decide anything without consulting Dumbledore. Was there NOBODY better?"</p><p>"Aren't yeh the lil' diplomat? Nah, Wizards aren't the bes' politicians," Hagrid laughed. </p><p>"What does the Ministry even do?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Mostly keeps the Muggles from knowin' there are wizards an' witches up an' down the country."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah we're best left alone."</p><p>At this moment, the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Keziah eagerly jumped onto dry land. </p><p>Passers-by stared at Hagrid a lot as they manoeuvred through the small town into the station. Keziah couldn't blame them. She'd have been taking pictures if it were her. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anybody else, but he also kept on pointing at perfectly ordinary things and marvelling at them.</p><p>"Hagrid, you were saying earlier, that Gringotts have dragons?" Harry panted, trying to catch up. </p><p>"Gringotts? Dragons?" Keziah asked, putting on her best 'confused' face.</p><p>"Aye, Gringotts's a Wizards bank. They say it's guarded by dragons. I've always wante' a dragon, yeh know," Hagrid said wistfully. </p><p>Keziah made a face but didn't respond. She knew what Hagrid was like with his 'pets'. They reached the station, where a train was heading out to London in five minutes. Harry and Keziah took over managing the money after Hagrid struggled for a few minutes. </p><p>People stared even more once they got on the train since Hagrid took up two seats on his own and began knitting something that looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. </p><p>"Still got yer letters?" Hagrid asked. Keziah patted her pockets and blanched.</p><p>"Oh no! Oh no, oh no," she cried, feeling around for the lost envelope. Harry tapped her on the shoulder, holding up her letter.</p><p>"Looking for something?"</p><p>"Screw you, Harry! And thank you." she hugged him and took out the other sheet of paper, her excitement building.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Uniform:</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">First-year students will require:</span>
  </em>
</p><p>   1. <em>Three sets of plain work robes (black)</em></p><p>   2. <em>One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear</em></p><p>   3. <em>One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)</em></p><p>   4. <em>One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Please note all pupil's clothes should carry name tags</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Set Books:</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">All students should have a copy of the following:</span>
  </em>
</p><p>   The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by <em>Miranda Goshawk</em></p><p>   A History of Magic by <em>Bathilda Bagshot</em></p><p>   Magical Theory by <em>Adalbert Waffling</em></p><p>   A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by <em>Emeric Switch</em></p><p>   One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by <em>Phyllida Spore</em></p><p>   Magical Drafts and Potions by<em> Arsenius Jigger</em></p><p>   Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by <em>Newt Scamander</em></p><p>   The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by <em>Quentin Trimble</em></p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Other Equipment:</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>1 Wand</em>
</p><p>
  <em>1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>1 set of glass or crystal phials</em>
</p><p>
  <em>1 telescope</em>
</p><p>
  <em>1 set of brass scales</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR BROOMSTICKS</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Keziah grinned at the paper in her hands. This was it. She was going to Hogwarts!</p><p>"Can we buy all of this in London?" Harry piped up, looking away from his sheet.</p><p>"If yeh know where to go," Hagrid said conspiratorially.</p><p>.......</p><p>Keziah loved London. She'd lived in the West of it, all her life. The chaos and busyness of it felt so much like home, she could feel tears welling up. She grinned at the underground, creeping out a security guard.</p><p>Hagrid knew his way around, though he wasn't used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier and complained loudly about the 'too slow' and 'too small' trains. </p><p>"I don't know how Muggles manage without magic," he said as they made their way down a broken escalator which led to a bustling high street. </p><p>Hagrid was so large that he easily parted the sea of people. Keziah bounced alongside him, trying to release her excitement in some way. </p><p>"What're you singing?" Harry asked her.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"You were singing something," Harry said before warbling the first few lines of 'Popular' off-tune. Keziah flushed.</p><p>"It's a muggle song. Heard it somewhere, I guess," she said dismissively. She turned her attention to the shops all around. If she had been visiting with her mother, there were at least a dozen places she would've gone into. She saw a Primark across the street and moaned. It had been so long since she'd gotten new clothes. </p><p>They finally stopped in front of a tiny rundown pub with a creaky sign that read 'The Leaky Cauldron'. Keziah bit back an excited squeal as she stared at it. Hagrid quickly led them inside.</p><p>The pub was rather dark and shabby but Keziah's enthusiasm didn't deflate. There were a few patrons drinking alcohol and a few smoking pipes. Keziah covered her mouth with her hands to stop herself from breathing in the tobacco. The low buzz of chatter stopped as soon as they entered.</p><p>A red-faced old man came hurrying towards them, holding a rag. Keziah guessed he was the barman.</p><p>"The usual, Hagrid?" he said, merrily.</p><p>"Fraid not, Tom. I'm on Hogwarts business," Hagrid said importantly, clapping his giant hand onto Harry's shoulder. Keziah laughed as she saw his knees buckle slightly and he stuck his tongue out in return. The barman removed his glasses, leaning over to peer at Harry.</p><p>"Good Lord," the barman whispered, "Is this– it can't be–"</p><p>The pub had gone completely silent. Keziah felt uncomfortable, fidgeting under Hagrid's grip.</p><p>"Bless my soul. Harry Potter, what an honour," the barman whispered. He hurried up to Harry, seizing his arm and shaking it firmly, tearing up. Keziah scowled when the man completely ignored her. The pub exploded after the barman's reaction and suddenly the patrons were like moths to Harry's flame and Keziah was nothing more than a discarded matchstick.</p><p>She watched sourly as everyone shook his hands with Harry, babbling nonsensically. She looked up at Hagrid who was staring proudly at Harry. Keziah sighed and shuffled away, not wanting to impose on Harry's fame. She looked down at her shoes as she walked, so she didn't notice the person in front of her until she'd barrelled right into them.</p><p>"Oh my god! I'm so sor–" Keziah stopped with her apology and stared at the man. He was a pale young man with a perfectly bald head. She stared at him, a cold dread washing over her, although she did not recognise him.</p><p>"M-miss, are, are you qu-quite alright?" the man stuttered, one of his eyes twitching. She jumped up, not letting her eyes leave him.</p><p>"Perfectly fine, sir," she said, pleasantly, hurrying back over to Harry. Unfortunately, the stranger followed. </p><p>"P-P-Potter, c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you," he stammered, shaking Harry's hand. Keziah wanted to scream at him to get away from Harry, but she didn't know why and stayed quiet.</p><p>"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked politely. Keziah bit her cheek in surprise. Quirrell. He wasn't wearing his turban yet, which Keziah guessed meant he wasn't hosting Ickle Voldie-kins just yet. </p><p>"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," Quirrel muttered, "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. </p><p>"Defense Against the Dark Arts? Have you met any dark creatures?" Keziah butted in, fake-excitedly. She didn't want the bastard talking to Harry any longer.</p><p>"W-well, I supp-ppose so," said Quirrell.</p><p>"Have you met He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" she asked, her eyes glinting mischievously.</p><p>"N-no! W-why w-would you think su- such a thing?" he stammered nervously.</p><p>"I dunno. Anyway, goodbye Professor! See you at school," she called merrily. Quirrell stared at her for a second longer and disappeared within the crowd of Harry's fans.</p><p>There were so many of them that, even with Keziah shooing off any newcomers, it took ten minutes to escape the crowd. </p><p>"Aren't you famous?" she spat to Harry as they stepped out into a small courtyard, refusing to look at him. She felt irrationally irritated with Harry, jealousy rearing up inside her like a great green beast.</p><p>"It's crazy, isn't it?" Harry said excitedly. Keziah nodded noncommittally. Ron's attitude in the 'Goblet of Fire' suddenly made a whole lot more sense. Harry frowned at her but didn't push. Instead, he bugged Hagrid with questions about Quirrell. She rolled her eyes, picking at the edges of her fingernails.</p><p>As they spoke, Hagrid tapped the brick wall. The brick he'd touched wriggled and all of a sudden, the wall was falling away into a gigantic archway that led into the strangest cluster of shops Keziah had ever seen. She loved it.</p><p>"Welcome," Hagrid beamed, "to Diagon Alley."</p><p>Keziah marvelled at the street, with cobblestones twisting in and out of sight. There was a clamour of noise with street vendors attempting to draw in customers while people buzzed from shop to shop. Just from where she was standing, Keziah could see a tattoo parlour, a pet shop and a store seemingly dedicated to cauldrons.</p><p>Hagrid tightly held onto her shoulder, so she didn't go zooming in an entirely different direction. As they walked through Diagon Alley, Keziah's eyes caught onto a side-alley. It was dark and gloomy and screamed 'dangerous'. She grinned.</p><p>"Hagrid, what's that place?"</p><p>"Knockturn Alley. Wizards' black market. Mighty dangerous," Hagrid said gruffly. Keziah grinned even wider, rubbing her hands together. Harry gave her a side-long glance but she pointedly ignored him. Keziah didn't even know why she was mad. The fates had made it very, very clear that she was going to help Harry from the wings, but it still hurt, getting treated like chopped liver.</p><p>At the end of Diagon Alley was the cleanest building in the place. It was shining white with gold and bronze garnishes and it towered above all the other funny little shops. Keziah gasped in delight, pointing at it.</p><p>"Gringotts," Hagrid said grandly, waving his arm towards the door. Keziah followed his arm to gaze to the doormen, dressed in gleaming scarlet and gold. "Those are–"</p><p>"Goblins," she finished breathlessly as they walked quietly up the white, stone steps. The goblin was about a head and a half shorter than her. He had a swarthy, clever face and a pointy little beard. As they passed it, she waved enthusiastically but the goblin just stared directly ahead.</p><p>"Rude," she muttered. Harry snorted, disguising it badly as cough, but Keziah still refused to look at him. Now they were inside, they face a second pair of grand doors, a gleaming silver. It had a poem engraved on it.</p><p>
  <em>Enter stranger, but take heed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of what awaits the sin of greed,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For those who take, but do not earn,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Must pay most dearly in their turn,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So if you seek beneath our floors</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A treasure that was never yours,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Thief, you have been warned, beware</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of finding more than treasure there.</em>
</p><p>"As I said, yeh'd be mad to rob it," said Hagrid.</p><p>"Guess you're pretty mad then, Harry," Keziah muttered under her breath.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Nothing," she brushed him off and quickened her pace. A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver door into a vast marble hall. At least a hundred more goblins sat on high stools behind long counters, scribbling in large ledgers or weighing coins on brass scales. There were too many doors to count, with even more goblins leading people in and out.</p><p>Hagrid let the children over to the counter, greeting a free goblin.</p><p>"Morning," he greeted to the unsmiling creature, "We've come ter take some money outta the Potter's safe."</p><p>"You have their key, sir?" the goblin croaked, leaning over the counter to squint at them.</p><p>"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, emptying his pockets all over the goblin's work. Keziah looked over to the right, where a goblin was weighing rubies as large as glowing coals before turning her attention back to their server.</p><p>"What's your name?" she asked. The goblin blinked, surprised.</p><p>"Errod," the goblin grunted sharply. She gave it a thumbs-up in return.</p><p>"Got it!" said Hagrid triumphantly, holding up a tiny golden key. Errod thoroughly inspected it for a few seconds before handing it over.</p><p>"This seems to be in order."</p><p>"An' I've got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, "It's about You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."</p><p>Errod read the letter closely.</p><p>"Very well," he said, handing the letter back to Hagrid. "I will have somebody take you three to both vaults. Griphook!"</p><p>Keziah's ears pricked up at the mention of Griphook. This was the goblin that would both help and betray Harry. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.</p><p>"Bye, Errod!" she called after Hagrid had scooped up all his dog-biscuits. Errod nodded at her, chasing her away. Griphook led the trio through one of the many doors leading away from the hall.</p><p>"What's the 'You-Know-What' in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.</p><p>"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid, mysteriously. "Very secret Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."</p><p>Griphook held the door for them and Keziah thanked him. He looked at her funnily, as though goblins weren't used to pleasantries or just didn't like them. They all stood in a narrow stone passageway lit with stone torches. It sloped deeply downwards and had little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling towards them. They all climbed in (Hagrid with some difficulty) and were off.</p><p>At first, they were just hurtling through a maze of passageways. It reminded Keziah of Minecraft. They went left, right, left, left, in a fashion that made Keziah's eyes spin and head hurt. The cart knew its way, seeing as Griphook wasn't steering.</p><p>Keziah's eyes stung slightly as the cold air rushed past them. Once, she felt her cheek heat up as a stream of fire burst towards them but they were long past by the time she twisted around. They plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.</p><p>Keziah could distantly hear Harry shout something at Hagrid but the giant brushed away his question, looking extremely green. When the cart stopped beside a small door, Hagrid had to lean on a wall to get his legs to stop shaking.</p><p>"That was AWESOME!" Keziah shouted, listening to her voice bound around the cavernous place. Hagrid glared at her, holding his stomach. Griphook stepped forward and unlocked the small door, letting a grand amount of green smoke billow out. Once it had cleared, Keziah was left staring at more money than she'd known in a lifetime. There were mounds of galleons, heaps of sickles and columns of knuts.</p><p>"Holy shit! We're rich!" she said.</p><p>"Too right, yeh are," Hagrid chuckled. Keziah crossed her arms, pulling her hair in front of her face. Keziah grinned. She let Hagrid help her pile some money into her small pouch and then move onto helping Harry with his.</p><p>"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough for yer first few terms. We'll keep the rest safe down 'ere, eh?" He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please. And can we go slower?"</p><p>"One speed only," Griphook said briskly, walking back to the cart. Keziah grabbed a few coins and let them spill through her fingertips.</p><p>"Easy enough? Bloody hell, the Imperial system is bloody easier, innit Harry?" she laughed, focusing on the coins.</p><p>"I thought you weren't talking to me,"</p><p>"I wasn't but now I am," she shrugged, stalking up to the cart.</p><p>The cart set off again, diving even deeper and quickly picking up speed. They tore around hairpin twists, the temperature dropping by the metre. They went rattling over an underground ravine and Harry leaned over the edge of the cart. Keziah and Hagrid quickly pulled him back, the former slapping him on the head.</p><p>Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. Just a blank wall. Griphook stroked the wall with one of his long fingers and it melted away.</p><p>"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked inside and trapped in there," said Griphook.</p><p>"How often do you check?" Keziah asked, her brows furrowing at Griphook's nasty grin.</p><p>"About once every ten years."</p><p>Keziah grimaced and turned away from the goblin. She leaned up onto her tiptoes, dying to catch a glimpse of the tiny stone that caused so much drama. It was a tiny grubby parcel, wrapped roughly in brown paper. Disappointedly, She sunk to her feet, blowing hair out her eyes.</p><p>"Come on," Hagrid grunted. "Back in that infernal cart. Now don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed it! Comment ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One wild cart-ride later, the three of them were standing outside Gringotts, blinking heavily at the unnatural appearance of sunshine. Keziah bounced giddily on her heels. She had seen a chaotic-looking pet shop and she was eager to explore it.</p><p>"Hagrid, can we look for pets first?" she asked, pulling on his coat.</p><p>"I think we might as well get yer uniform first," Hagrid said, pushing them gently towards a large purple shop titled 'Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'. "I think I migh' slip off fer a pick-me-up a' the Leaky Cauldron, if it's alright with you guys."</p><p>"It's not a problem, Hagrid," Keziah said brightly, pulling Harry into the clothes shop. As they entered, a tiny bell chimed above their heads and a squat middle-aged witch, dressed solidly in mauve, with far too much makeup on, swooped down on them. Keziah's confidence was quickly depleting.</p><p>"Hogwarts, dearies?" she asked brightly, looping her fingers around her offensively-orange curls. "Got a lot of you here. I'm serving a young man just now."</p><p>She patted Keziah's cheek affectionately, to which she was promptly brushed off, and led them to the back. A boy with a pointed, pale face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. A third witch appeared from behind the racks and manoeuvred Keziah next to the boy, slipping a tight-fitting robe over her that hung to her knees.</p><p>"Watch it! I'm not that small," she hissed. The boy looked up and his face contorted into a sneer.</p><p>"Let me guess. Red hair, freckles. You're a Weasley, aren't you?" he asked haughtily.</p><p>"Actually," Keziah smiled, "I'm a Potter. That's my brother, Harry."</p><p>Keziah pointed at Harry, who was a few feet away. The boy paled even further, smoothing his hair back, swallowing.</p><p>"Potter? You're the sister, aren't you?"</p><p>"Yes, I'd think that's how siblings worked," Keziah said dryly.</p><p>"Hmmm. Well, I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," Draco said, pompously.</p><p>"Aren't you important, saying your name twice. Let me guess, your father is some bigshot who has a ton of money and you think that makes you special?" Keziah asked, shrewdly. Draco's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't back down.</p><p>"Quite the Auror, aren't you Potter? Since you were raised by muggles, I'll let you off this time and offer you some advice instead. In our world, there are some families– that have more importance. You'd better learn how to pick wisely,"</p><p>"If you're talking about racist-ass purebloods, you can stop right now. I might be raised by muggles but I'm not stupid," she hissed. Draco pinkened slightly and his face hardened.</p><p>"You think you're invincible, don't you Potter? Just because of your surname? Well, that's not going to help you. Harry has the scar, not you," he said lowly, smirking as the sales-witch patted his shoulder and led him to the register. Keziah scowled at his retreating back.</p><p>"Hey, what's the matter?" Harry popped up around her elbow, squinting off in the direction Draco had gone.</p><p>"Just some stuck-up prick. It doesn't matter. Look!" she pointed at Hagrid, who was standing in the window, holding three large ice creams. Harry licked his lips in anticipation before being dragged back to his corner.</p><p>A few annoying minutes later, they were finished up, arms full of clothes and galleons paid. Madame Malkin magicked their uniforms into a purple bag and shooed them away.</p><p>Hagrid handed Harry and Keziah their ice creams, gently taking the shopping from her. Keziah licked her dessert and sighed, the sweetness reaching the tips of her fingers.</p><p>"What flavour is this, Hagrid?" she asked gleefully, licking it again.</p><p>"Erm... I think it's sticky toffee pudd or somethin," Hagrid mumbled, licking his own scarily big ice cream.</p><p>"Also, what are purebloods and why are they better than us?" she asked innocently.</p><p>"What're yeh talkin' about?" Hagrid asked, staring at her funnily.</p><p>"There was some boy in that shop, Malfoy or something. He was going on about how some families were better than others. He called me a Weasley," Keziah recounted. She hoped it sounded like she didn't have a clue about what she was talking about. Hagrid's face darkened.</p><p>"Now don't yeh listen to any o' tha' rubbish. The Malfoys are a bunch o' stuck-up elitists. Blood don't matter," Hagrid said firmly, changing the subject swiftly to dragons. Keziah tuned out, finishing off her ice cream and giving herself a killer brain freeze.</p><p>It still hadn't faded completely when they entered Flourish and Blotts. It was, however, forgotten as soon as the door opened.</p><p>Keziah's jaw dropped, staring at the books shop with shelves brushing the ceiling. It was filled with books, a grand staircase leading upstairs to even more books. There was a bulletin board near the cash-register, advertising book signings and the like.</p><p>Keziah sprung away from Harry and Hagrid, staring at all the covers in awe. She walked over to the Hogwarts section, where she spotted her school books. She grabbed a spare basket and gently tossed them in. By the time Hagrid found her, she was leaning against a bookshelf, leafing through 'Hogwarts: A History'.</p><p>"Hagrid! Can I have this?" she asked eagerly.</p><p>"Sure,"</p><p>"And can I get this for Harry for his birthday?" Keziah held up a copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages'. "Quidditch looks like a cool sport and I haven't gotten anything for his birthday."</p><p>"O' course, Keziah. Let me find Harry and then we can get outta 'ere."</p><p>Hagrid took her books and disappeared again, leaving her to browse the other novels. It was so unreal, seeing a world she'd dreamed about all her life be so mind-numbingly real. She wandered over to the historical section, running her fingers along the thick spines until one caught her interest.</p><p>"Myth or Mystery? Secrets of Alchemy and The Unknown?" she read aloud, pulling the book out roughly and flipping to the contents page. It was yellowy and shrivelled, the ink slightly smudged and the pages were littered in scrawled notes. Keziah saw that book was published around the 1600s. There were several complicated names and formulas written about, but her eyes were focused on Chapter Thirteen, which focused on Nicholas Flamel. Jackpot.</p><p>Keziah snuck over to a sales clerk and pointed to the book.</p><p>"How much for it, sir?" she asked politely. The man narrowed his eyes at her.</p><p>"I'm not sure you should be reading this sort of thing, young lady," he said condescendingly.</p><p>"It's for my older sister! She's studying Alchemy this year and I wanted to surprise her with it," Keziah lied, rubbing her neck.</p><p>"Five Galleons and thirteen Sickles," the clerk said suspiciously. Keziah pulled out her tiny purse and spilt the money into his hand, stuffing the book into the satchel Madame Malkin had supplied her with.</p><p>"Thank you, sir," she muttered, hurrying over to Hagrid and Harry, who were waiting by the entrance.</p><p>"There yeh are, Keziah! Let's get the rest of yer stuff, eh?"</p><p>The rest of the shops were just as awesome. Hagrid wouldn't allow the children to get gold or silver cauldrons but he allowed them both a beautiful set of scales for weighing ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope, although Keziah had wanted the bronze one with a moonstone handle.</p><p>They visited the apothecary, which smelt worse than Daniel's room. Keziah sighed sadly at the thought of her <em>real </em>little brother. She was cheered up slightly by the sight of magical herbs and roots, and the barrels of cool potions ingredients. She was fiddling with a particularly sharp unicorn horn when Hagrid dragged her away.</p><p>"Just yer wands left," Hagrid said, checking their lists, "And I need to get yer birthday present." He smiled warmly at Harry who blushed. Keziah smiled giddily. This was it, the absolute proof that she, Keziah Lilian Drake 'Potter', was a witch.</p><p>For such an important place, Ollivander's didn't look like much. It was cramped and drab, stacks upon stacks of wooden boxes hidden behind a spindly wooden desk.</p><p>"Good afternoon," said a very soft voice. They all jumped, whirling around to face a tiny old man with a shock of floaty white hair that fanned around his wrinkled face like a halo.</p><p>"Hello," Harry said awkwardly. Keziah snickered at his social skills. Ollivander, on the other hand, looked extremely interested, his wide pale eyes shining like moons in the dark gloomy shop.</p><p>"Ah yes," he whispered ominously, "Yes, yes, I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry and Keziah Potter." He didn't say it like a question. Keziah edged away from the questionably sane wandmaker. "You have your mother's eyes. And you look just like her. It seems like it was only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."</p><p>Ollivander shuffled closer, his silver eyes were unblinking. Keziah gulped, fingering her shirt collar.</p><p>"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it– it's the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."</p><p>Olivander was standing so close that Keziah could see herself and Harry reflected in the man's creepy eyes.</p><p>"And that's where..."</p><p>He gently touched Harry's scar, stroking it with his long white finger. Keziah stared at them in wonderment and disgust. This man had no right to touch Harry.</p><p>"I'm sorry to say that I sold the wand that did it," Ollivander whispered, "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."</p><p>He shook his head and turned to Hagrid, interrogating the giant on the remains of his old wand. Keziah glanced at Hagrid's pink umbrella, clutched tightly beside him.</p><p>"Hmmm. Now, who wants to go first?" Ollivander asked, turning his attention back to the Potters.</p><p>"ME!" Keziah blurted loudly, "Um, I meant, I'd like to go first."</p><p>Ollivander smiled gently and pulled out a silver tape measure with strange markings. "Which is your wand arm?"</p><p>"I'm ambidextrous, I guess. But I mainly use my left hand," Keziah shrugged, stiffening as the silver tape measure zoomed around her body, taking measurements of almost of her limbs.</p><p>"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just like no two dragons, unicorns or phoenixes are quite the same. And, of course, you'll never get such good results with another wizard's wand."</p><p>As Ollivander talked, he disappeared among the shelves and reappeared holding a stack of boxes.</p><p>"That will do," he said and the tape measure curled back up and crumpled onto the floor. He handed her a long pale wand. "Here you go, Fir and phoenix feather. Fifteen inches. Very rigid. Just wave it."</p><p>Keziah lifted the wand, prepared to give it an overdramatic flourish and was very disappointed when Ollivander snatched it back, muttering.</p><p>"Pearwood and unicorn hair. Always a lovely match. Eight and a half inches. Nice and flexible."</p><p>This wand was also snatched from her grip before she could even lift it. Ollivander rifled through the wands before he grabbed a copper coloured stick. It was roughly cut, around 30 centimetres and very twisty. There were runes carved into the bottom.</p><p>"My family was commissioned to make this wand a very long time ago. We were told to never give it away until we were sure we'd found a match. Third times the charm, isn't it?" Ollivander said quietly, handing Keziah the peculiar wand. "Grape Vinewood and Unicorn Hair. Twelve and a quarter inches. Rigid Flexibility. Quite unremarkable at first glance but–"</p><p>Keziah stared at the piece of wood hesitantly. She wished Ollivander had just handed her the thing without all the backstory. She glanced at Harry, who gave her a thumbs up. She breathed in deeply and took the wand. She waved it gently through the air, sending a stream of green and silver flowing after it, the distant scent of orchards filling the room. Ollivander smiled broadly and handed her the box. It was the same colour as the wand and had little scratches in the corners.</p><p>She placed her wand gently inside the box and stepped back to allow Harry his turn.</p><p>"Well done, Keziah. Of course, yeh get a special wand. Yer gonna be a riot a' Hogwarts, I'm tellin' yer," Hagrid said proudly, petting her hair.</p><p>"Thanks, Hagrid," she mumbled back, blushing slightly. She noticed that her wand box had words etched onto it. Keziah frowned and squinted at them. <em>'DRAOIDHEACHD NAM FAICHEAN'</em></p><p>What on earth did that mean? She rubbed her fingers over the words, hoping they'd somehow reveal a secret message but the wood just sat in her hand, completely ordinary.</p><p>The pile in front of Harry got larger and larger as Ollivander rejected every wand he tried. Keziah felt slightly bad, seeing Harry's worried expression.</p><p>Eventually, however, he found his match. Ollivander went on a dramatic spiel about how Harry's wand was Voldemort's wand's brother and then they were off.</p><p>"Now we just need to get yer owls," Hagrid said cheerily. Keziah frowned slightly. She wasn't sure she wanted an owl. The Dursleys would be pissed about one owl and if they brought home two, Keziah was sure they'd be volatile.</p><p>"Hagrid," she began slowly, putting on her best 'puppy-eyes' expression. "Could I get a cat, instead?"</p><p>Hagrid looked very uncomfortable, shifting his large frame. "I'm no' very sure. Don't really like cats. Cats make me sneeze."</p><p>"Please, Hagrid! It's not for you and I don't think we'd need <em>two</em> owls. Pleeease!" she pleaded, bouncing up and down.</p><p>"Fine," Hagrid grunted, directing her towards the Magical Menagerie. It was very noisy, with cages packed with creatures. "Get yer cat and meet us by Eeylops Owl Emporium. Keep it away from me."</p><p>Keziah beamed and raced into the shop, whizzing over to a stack of cages holding cats of every colour.</p><p>Around half an hour later, she left the shop carrying a large wicker basket. Inside it was a very large, golden Maine Coon with pointy ears and pale green eyes. He was curled up in the corner, his eyes glowing.</p><p>Harry and Hagrid were waiting outside the owl shop, the former carrying a large birdcage that housed a sleeping snowy-owl. Harry was fervently thanking Hagrid by the time she'd walked over.</p><p>"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys."</p><p>"Too right he doesn't," Keziah muttered under breath, rejoining them.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>The late afternoon sun hung low as Harry, Keziah and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, which was now empty apart from one or two people.</p><p>Keziah was still buzzing from excitement as they walked back through the translation, ignoring all the gawps they were getting. She was technically the most normal out of their little group, carrying a cat and a large shopping bag. But she guessed that, according to the strangers, she was weird by association.</p><p>Keziah hadn't noticed how hungry she was until they stopped by a fast-food restaurant and Hagrid bought them burgers and fizzy drinks. The servers stared at them suspiciously, glowering at the animals.</p><p>"Yeh alright Harry? Yeh've been quiet?" Hagrid said. Keziah paused guiltily, glancing over at Harry. He looked positively downcast, staring at his burger as though it had run over his childhood pet.</p><p>"It's just– everyone thinks I'm special," Harry said, chewing his burger thoughtfully. "All those people at the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrel, Ollivander. It's just me, too. Why don't they look at Keziah? I haven't done anything to, to deserve their attention. I don't know anything about magic! How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember why? I don't even know what happened the night Vold– sorry– I mean the night our parents died."</p><p>Harry finished glumly, staring down at the table. Keziah pushed her food away, suddenly feeling queasy. All the jealousy that had been swimming around her head had vanished and she felt horrible for being so frosty towards him. She stayed silent, while Hagrid swept away Harry's doubts. She didn't speak up again until Hagrid had helped them into the train headed for Surrey. </p><p>"Harry–" she began, twirling her hair anxiously.</p><p>"It's okay. I forgive you," said Harry firmly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She smiled slightly and rested her head on him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After everything that had happened, Keziah and Harry's last month at the Dursleys' wasn't fun. Sure, Dudley was so traumatized by Hagrid that he refused to be in the same room as them, but the novelty of that wore off pretty quickly. Petunia and Vernon had decided to take a different approach and completely ignored them. In their half-terrified half-furious eyes, any seat with Keziah or Harry in it was firmly empty.</p><p>While Keziah found this to be a massive improvement, Harry thought it was plain depressing. He cheered up, however, when Keziah gave him the copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages' she'd bought in Flourish and Blotts. </p><p>Most days, they stayed up in their room, leafing through their new textbooks, with only their pets and each other for company. Harry had found Hedwig's name in his history book. Keziah had taken a different route and named her new feline companion Aslan.</p><p>The school books themselves were far more interesting than anything her secondary school could cook up. She and Harry would stay up late into the night, reading and reading. Harry had been ecstatic when Keziah had handed him 'Quidditch Through The Ages', his eyes lighting up as he read the small red book, pointing out all the funny moving diagrams. Hedwig would often be swooping in and out during the night, depositing her freshest kills in the room. This worked out well, with Aslan usually stealing half the share. This meant that Aslan didn't have to constantly slink out of the house and Keziah didn't need to fret over cat food. This also meant that Petunia didn't die from fright on the odd occasion she did enter their room.</p><p>Every night before bed, Harry would mark off yet another day on a small, sloppily-rendered calendar they'd pinned up on the wall, counting down the days to September 1st. </p><p>On the last day of August, they decided to finally ask the Dursleys about transport. Keziah would've rather walked up to London than ask the bastards but Harry had decided to be reasonable and walked up to his aunt and uncle before she could get a word in edgewise.</p><p>She hung in the doorway, while Harry cleared his throat to announce their presence. Dudely screamed and rushed out the door, knocking Keziah to the floor. She scowled at his retreating back but stayed silent. She didn't need to set off the Dursleys, not for something so important. Vernon clicked pause on the stupid show he was watching, but that was the only indication he was paying attention.</p><p>"Er– Uncle Vernon?"</p><p>Vernon grunted but still didn't face Harry. Keziah subtly flipped him off from where she was standing.</p><p>"Erm– Kezi and I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to– to go to Hogwarts. Would it be alright if you gave us a lift?"</p><p>Vernon grunted, letting Harry breathe a sigh of relief.</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>Keziah smiled at him, motioning for them to retreat to their hermit cave when Vernon cleared his throat.</p><p>"Funny way to get to a wizards' school. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"</p><p>"Aren't magic carpets from Asian cultures?" asked Keziah curiously before she could stop herself. Vernon carried on as though he hadn't heard her.</p><p>"Where is this school, anyway?"</p><p>"Why do you need to know? You want a round two with Hagrid?" Keziah called out, narrowly missing an ornamental plate flung at her head.</p><p>"We don't know," Harry said quickly, pulling two train tickets from his pocket.</p><p>"We just take the train from platform nine and three quarters at eleven o'clock," he read. Vernon stared, while Petunia looked unnaturally flustered.</p><p>"Platform what?" </p><p>"Nine and Three-Quarters, can't you hear?" Keziah snapped rudely, still standing safely by the door.</p><p>"Don't talk rubbish, girl. There are no platform nine and three-quarters," Vernon said, bristling.</p><p>"Wait. Mum was a witch. Aunt Petunia, how did she get to school then?" Keziah asked coyly. Petunia flushed, fiddling with her dress's hemline. </p><p>"Don't ask questions," she squawked finally, rushing out of the room. Keziah grinned broadly at the surprised Vernon.</p><p>"Barking," Vernon said finally, "the whole lot of you. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to Kings Cross. We're heading up to London anyway, otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered."</p><p>"Why are you going up to London?" Harry asked, trying to defuse the tension.</p><p>"Taking Dudley to hospital," Vernon growled. "Got to get that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."</p><p>Keziah smirked, ready to make another snarky comment but Harry had already dragged her off.</p><p>*</p><p>Harry and Keziah dealt with excitement in very different ways. While Harry woke up at five o'clock sharp, Keziah had never left consciousness. She'd stayed up reading her Alchemy book, Aslan curled up in her lap. Her eyes ached and her back was stiff but the mounding excitement numbed everything.</p><p>She pulled on the grey skater skirt that she should've worn for Stonewall. It wasn't too hideous in all aspects and Keziah quite liked it. She was also wearing one of Dudley's black shirt with an annoying bright logo of some video game. She tied up the large clunky boots that she had seen outside somebody's house a couple of weeks back. They were far too big for her but they in much better shape than any of the things the Dursleys gave her.</p><p>Her wizard robes were folded neatly in her trunk, along most of her books. She threaded her wand through her hair, which had been wrestled into a half-bun. She checked her Hogwarts list again to make sure she'd packed everything. She coaxed Aslan back into his wicker basket with a handful of owl treats, which he strangely loved. Keziah watched in amusement as Harry paced around the room as they waited for the Dursleys to get up. </p><p>Two hours later, they were inching through the M25 highway, squished inside the car with their trunks shoved unceremoniously into the boot. Dudley was sitting as far away from Harry and Keziah as possible, making whimpering noises whenever he peeked at them.</p><p>They reached Kings Cross Station at half-past ten. Vernon dumped Harry and Keziah's trunks into a trolley and walked through briskly, humming under his breath. Harry looked pleasantly surprised but Keziah's blood was boiling. She knew what game Vernon was playing. Her anger only grew when Vernon stopped suddenly, his face widening into a nasty grin.</p><p>"Well, there you are! Platform nine– platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"</p><p>That's it!</p><p>"Are you stupid? If an entire country of wizards has lived under our noses for this long do you think that they'd build the platform where Muggles like you could find it?" she shouted, venom shooting from her eyes.</p><p>"And, Petunia, darling, don't play dumb. If our mother was a witch, you'd know exactly where Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is! All of you are wicked, wicked people! I hope you all rot in hell, while I have the pleasure of watching," she spat, wrenching the trolley from Vernon's hand and dragging it away, Harry scrambling after her.</p><p>The Dursleys left without a word, although Petunia looked abnormally pale and Vernon was a shade short of purple. Harry hadn't stopped gaping.</p><p>"Kezi–" he started weakly. Keziah turned to look at him, breathing in deeply to cool her temper.</p><p>"I don't regret a syllable of what I said. They deserve to rot in hell. I hate them! I hate all of them." Keziah's voice had quietened down to a hardened whisper by the time she was finished. She truly hated the Dursleys but yelling wasn't going to fix that.</p><p>"Harry," she said thoughtfully, "do you think there are other people out there who would care for us? If we ran away, do you think somebody would take us in?"</p><p>"Hagrid would've told us about anybody like that," Harry said firmly. He gripped her shoulder tightly and walked up to a station guard. Keziah stood up on her tiptoes, trying to catch sight of the Weasleys but a flurry of red-hair was yet to be seen. She bit her lip, anxious that they'd somehow missed them. Harry was still talking to the guard. Unfortunately, asking vague questions about a train that had an unknown destination didn't usually warrant answers and they were back to the miserable square one. </p><p>Both Potters stood in the middle of platform nine and platform ten, anxious for two similar yet very different reasons. Keziah chewed her nails, eyes fixed on the large clock. The stares of the public dug into her like the stupid drills of Vernon's firm. </p><p>"C'mon, c'mon," she whispered. Keziah's knuckles were white from holding the trolley too tight. Just when she was about to lose hope and just push through the Platform wall, she heard them.</p><p>"– packed with Muggles, of course–"</p><p>Harry and Keziah swung around simultaneously. Keziah beamed at the sight of the Weasleys, her heart putting on its familiar tap-dance routine. It was taking all her effort not to scream.</p><p>She noticed that Harry had begun walking towards them and quickly followed. In her bouncing excitement, she reached them before him, despite the weight she was wheeling.</p><p>"Mum did you and Dad have another kid while we weren't looking?" one of the boys asked in a thick Devon accent.</p><p>"What are you talking about, George?" </p><p>Keziah zeroed in on the plump, middle-aged woman who had spoken earlier. Molly Weasley. Keziah was sure she was going to faint when the families' attention turned to her.</p><p>"Hello, dear? What's the matter?" Mrs Weasley asked gently. Keziah looked over at Harry, not trusting herself to speak evenly. Thankfully, he took her cue.</p><p>"Excuse me, ma'am. Do you know how to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?" he asked nervously. Mrs Weasley's face brightened.</p><p>"First time at Hogwarts? It's Ron's first year too," she said cheerfully, pointing at the youngest boy. Keziah gasped involuntarily. Ron Weasley was tall, thin and covered in freckles. He had a long nose and large hands and feet, as most tall people did. He waved awkwardly and it was all Keziah could do to not dissolve into giggles.</p><p>"Yes," Harry said. "The thing– the thing is, my sister and I don't know how to–"</p><p>"How to get onto the platform?" Mrs Weasley finished kindly. Harry nodded. "Not to worry. Just walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're scared. Watch Percy and twins."</p><p>Mrs Weasley nodded at the eldest of the boys, who's red hair was combed back neatly and clothes impeccably neat. Percy Weasley, a boy so fixed on his ambition that he'd forgotten his family. Keziah frowned slightly. She didn't know how to feel about him, just as hadn't known how to feel about Griphook.</p><p>Percy nodded, gripping his trolley, and marched straight through the barrier. </p><p>"Fred, you next," Mrs Weasley said, turning to the slightly taller twin. Keziah bit her lip as she watched the boy banter with his mother before vanishing through the barrier. Did he have any clue how numbered his days truly were? Keziah's nails dug into the trolley. It hurt.</p><p>"Now it's your turn, dearies," Mrs Weasley said kindly, jolting Keziah out of her thoughts. George Weasley had disappeared too, leaving her, Harry and the remaining Weasleys. She looked over at Harry and nodded encouragingly. They took off together, Keziah slightly slower thanks to the trolley. </p><p>People jostled her as they moved through the two platforms, but she didn't stop. She just walked faster and faster, trying not to imagine crashing right into the ticket box and breaking her nose. Keziah took a deep breath and broke into a run, the distance between her and the wall getting narrower and narrower. She braced for impact, every nerve in her body screaming for her to abandon ship and leap of out the way. Keziah ignored it all and kept on running, her eyes tightly shut.</p><p>The crash didn't come. With difficulty, Keziah halted to a stop, panting. She eased open her eyes, the sounds of chattering crowds and disgruntled animals filling her ears and the smell of smoke billowing around her. </p><p>The first thing Keziah saw was the scarlet steam train, waiting next to a platform packed with people. A squeaky brass sign overhead had the words <em>Hogwarts Express, 11 o'Clock</em> engraved into it. Harry was standing beside her, his face alight with wonder. Keziah guessed she looked similar.</p><p>They moved towards the crowd in unison, the train's thick white smoke wafting above their heads. Cats of every colour, and the occasional toad, wound around their legs, usually followed by a panicked student. There was a chorus of owls hooting, people talking and trunks scraping that blended together almost like a tune. </p><p>The first few carriages were packed with students, some hanging out windows to talk to family, while others squabbled over seats. Keziah pushed the trolley towards the end of the platform, while Harry stayed on the lookout for empty seats. They passed a round-faced boy who was saying something to his grandmother. They also passed a tall boy with dreadlocks, who was surrounded by a small crowd egging him on about something. </p><p>Ultimately, they found an empty carriage near the end of the train. Keziah set down Aslan's cage on of the seats and turned to the trunks, grimacing. Neither she nor Harry was very strong and individually, the trunks must've been heavier than them. They looked at each other, wondering what to do.</p><p>"Want a hand?" The Weasley twins had reappeared, wearing matching grins. Keziah tried to reign in her childish instincts to fangirl. </p><p>"Yes please," she said eagerly, brushing her hair behind her ear.</p><p>Each twin chose a trunk and, with Harry and Keziah's help, they were lifted onto the rails. Keziah thanked them profusely, while Harry leaned on the doorframe. He pushed his hair out of his forehead and the compartment was filled with gasps.</p><p>"What's that?" one of the twins asked, elbowing the other. They both goggled at Harry's scar.</p><p>"Blimey," the other gasped, "Are you–?"</p><p>"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.</p><p>"Are you going to finish your sentence or keep stuttering like Professor Quirrel?" Keziah asked snappishly. The twins blinked and smirked at her.</p><p>"You should meet our sister, Ginny. You can pass for her twin," one of them remarked.</p><p>"Anyway, you haven't answered our question," the other twin said to Harry.</p><p>"What question?" asked Harry.</p><p>"Are you Harry Potter?" they demanded in unison.</p><p>"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."</p><p>Keziah snickered at Harry's social skills, while the Weasley twins gawped at him. Harry squirmed under their stares, blushing. However, before they could badger him with questions, a voice called them back.</p><p>With one last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train. Keziah settled in a window seat, undoing the latches on Aslan's cage. He immediately hopped out, settling on the window sill. Harry sat down opposite her, watching the Weasleys, listening to their conversation. Keziah did too, interested in the Weasleys' first impression of her.</p><p>There were some regular family banter and complaints about Percy becoming a prefect and getting special treatment. Keziah sighed, raking her fingers through her hair.</p><p>"Get on with it," she hissed under her breath. </p><p>"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we met on the train?"</p><p>Keziah leaned forward, interested in what they had to say about her.</p><p>"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"Harry Potter!"</p><p>Keziah heard Ginny Weasley pipe up, shrill as a dog's whistle.</p><p>"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please..."</p><p>"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in the zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"</p><p>"Asked him. Saw his scar and everything. Looks like lightning!"</p><p>"What about the girl who was with him?" this time Ron spoke up. The twins shrugged.</p><p>"Didn't ask. Might've been his sister, you know. The one You-Know-Who ignored. She's feisty, though."</p><p>"Oh, the poor dears. No wonder they were alone. I was quite curious. They were ever so polite when they asked about the platform."</p><p>"Never mind that, do you think they remember what You-Know-Who looked like?" one of the twins asked excitedly. Mrs Weasley suddenly became very stern.</p><p>"I forbid you to ask either of them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though they need reminding of that on their first day at school."</p><p>"Alright, alright, keep your hair on."</p><p>A piercing whistle sounded, startling everyone. Keziah shook her head lightly and leaned back.</p><p>"Did you hear them?" she whispered. Harry nodded, still staring at the Weasleys. The jealousy she'd felt back at the Leaky Cauldron was resurfacing again and Keziah wanted to let it out but she remembered how that had turned out last time. </p><p>Keziah yawned, the side-effects of staying up all night finally catching up with her. She flopped down on the cushiony seats and curled up, with Aslan settling down on her waist. With the rocking of the train, she quickly fell asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah woke up rather pleasantly, several hours later. The sky outside was an inky purplish-black, the Scottish highlands blending in a whir of darkness. She sat up lazily, feeling her joints click into place after spending so long in a weird position.</p>
<p>"Good morning," Harry called, laughing slightly. Keziah rolled her eyes, and pulled her hair out of its messed-up bun, running her fingers through her knotted locks.</p>
<p>"Hmm, yes, morning. Are we nearly there yet?" she yawned. She vaguely noted that there was somebody else in the compartment but for the moment, she ignored them.</p>
<p>"Think so. You should probably put your robes on. Do you want us to go out?" </p>
<p>"Nah. Toss me them and I'll just pull them on for now," Keziah muttered. A few seconds later, the robes hit her dead on the face. She pulled them over her head and moved into a sitting position, glaring at her brother. Her eyes slid down the seats to settle on the other person in the compartment. Ron Weasley. After proper rest, Keziah found it much easier to reign in her excitement and quickly switched on the personality that had kept her afloat for her entire school career.</p>
<p>"Who's your new friend?" she asked, pulling back her hair into a ponytail. Judging by the window, she didn't look too bad.</p>
<p>"I'm Ron Weasley," said Ron nervously. Keziah felt slightly relieved, knowing he was as nervous as she was.</p>
<p>"Keziah. Pleased to meet you," she said kindly, shaking his hands. "I'm guessing Harry told you I'm his sister?"</p>
<p>"Nah, I was too embarrassed," Harry laughed, dodging one of the train's seat-cushions. </p>
<p>"By the way, we, erm, we saved you some sweets." Ron gestured awkwardly to the small pile of sweets beside them. "I think your cat stole some of the cakes and a pasty."</p>
<p>At that moment, Aslan jumped down from the metal rack above, chewing slowly on a long piece of liquorice. Keziah smiled slightly and leaned down, petting her cat behind the ears.</p>
<p>"It's fine. If he gets sick, I'll take him to Hagrid. It'll be his fault, the greedy bugger," Keziah said affectionately, still giving Aslan ear scratches. "Now, can you pass me one of those blue toffee-thingies."</p>
<p>"These? Do you mean the bubblegum?" Ron asked, picking up a neon-bright blue sweet wrapped in equally colourful paper. Keziah nodded, holding out her hand for Ron to toss it over. She caught it with ease and popped the sweet into her mouth, sighing at the instant rush of sweetness.</p>
<p>"What flavour is this?"</p>
<p>"Don't know. Some sort of berry, I think. But they don't lose flavour for days," said Ron, losing the nervousness. He was right. Every time Keziah chewed the piece of gum, another wave of flavour burst inside her mouth, just as lovely as the first. </p>
<p>The train slowed down a few minutes afterwards, a disembodied female voice drifting out of the walls "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."</p>
<p>Keziah's stomach lurched with nerves, anxieties that had been buzzing around her head all summer returning with full force. She scooped Aslan back up into his cage with difficulty, the cat deciding to spontaneously turn into liquid, as cats do. Paired with his larger-than-necessary body, it had taken nearly five minutes, especially since Keziah had to stop twice to smack the laughing Harry and Ron on the heads. But she managed to do it, eventually, with minimal injuries.</p>
<p>The three of them stumbled down the train corridor, shepherded out with the throng of students. The amount of noise hurt Keziah's ears. She shivered slightly in the cool, night air, her robes slightly too thin for the Scottish atmosphere. Then an orange lamp came bobbing over the heads of the crowd, and a familiar voice bellowed through the mist. </p>
<p>"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry, Keziah?" Hagrid's big, hairy face beamed at them over all the students. Grabbing Harry and Ron by the elbows, Keziah shoved her way through the crowd, stepping on more than a few toes. When they reached Hagrid, he waved at them, accidentally knocking a boy to the ground. From what Keziah could see and hear, he was tiny and Irish. </p>
<p>After all the first years had made their way over to Hagrid, they set off. However, the path was slick from rain and had the extra disadvantage of being extra steep. With her large boots that weren't suited for hiking at all, Keziah wasn't surprised she'd tripped. But that didn't make it any less embarrassing. She cringed at the brown dirt and dust that had settled all over her robes and hands. Desperate to not be noticed, Keziah tried to hop back up but she'd forgotten one key thing. Wizards' robes were some of the most inconvenient things to ever exist and instead of getting up, every time she tried, she got more entangled.</p>
<p>"Yeh needs some help, miss?" a voice came from above, tinged with humour. Keziah rolled her eyes, her cheeks burning horribly. Did she look so pathetic that somebody had stopped to goggle at her? Still, she wasn't getting any younger stuck in the dust. Keziah sighed and looked up, accepting the hand looming in front of her face. </p>
<p>Now that she was upright, Keziah looked at the boy more closely. He was shorter than Harry, with sandy hair that suggested he stuck his fingers into sockets. His skin was more freckled than all the Weasleys combined. </p>
<p>"Hey, you're that boy who Hagrid knocked over!" Keziah winced as soon as she'd said it. She'd meant to say thank you.</p>
<p>"Too right I am. Name's Seamus Finnigan," he said brightly, shaking her hand. Keziah smiled slightly.</p>
<p>"I'm Kez–" Seamus cut her off, pulling her over to where a taller boy was standing. As Keziah looked at the two of them, she couldn't help but snort at the ridiculous height difference.</p>
<p>"That's Dean Thomas," he explained and Dean waved his hand awkwardly. Keziah nodded at him in return. She looked around for Harry and Ron but they'd both been swept up with the crowd. She shrugged and looked back at Dean and Seamus.</p>
<p>"I'm Keziah," she said, carefully omitting the 'Potter'. She didn't want two more people fawning over Harry while ignoring her.</p>
<p>The rest of the students were nearly over the small hill, so the three of them scrambled to keep up. As they rounded the bend, they scrambled to a stop, ramming straight into a pair of twin girls. The girls stumbled slightly but kept their footing, glaring lightly.</p>
<p>There was a loud and collective 'Ooooh!' as Hogwarts came into view, the narrow path opening up into a large dock. Keziah gaped at the large castle perched atop a high mountain, dark and looming, with the star providing the perfect backdrop. </p>
<p>"I need a photo of this," Keziah whispered. Dean nodded silently from beside her. Seamus, on the other hand, couldn't stop talking. Pair his thick Irish accent with the speed of his words and Keziah couldn't understand a word the boy was saying. Dean seemed to, though.</p>
<p>"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of at least forty wooden boats. Keziah spotted Harry and Ron getting into one of the first boats and sighed. Harry had already forgotten about her. Seamus and Dean didn't leave too much time for her to be sad though, tugging her towards a boat. They were quickly joined by a boy with dark floppy hair that covered most of his face. He ignored them though, so the three of them did too.</p>
<p>The lake was smooth as glass, rippling slightly as they crossed it. It was so deep it was pure black even as Keziah leaned over the edge, desperate to see what lay beneath.</p>
<p>"Woah! Don't go falling over the edge!" Dean said urgently, pulling her back. She glared at him slightly, disappointed that she hadn't even gotten a glimpse of the giant squid.</p>
<p>"You know a  giant squid lives in here?" she whispered, staring back at them.</p>
<p>"WHAT!" Seamus and Dean whisper-screamed at the same time, Dean staring nervously at the water and edging away from it. However, that meant he collided into Seamus, sending them both toppling, which rocked the boat severely.</p>
<p>"WILL YOU STOP THAT!" the other boy screeched, holding his knees tightly. All three pair of eyes stared at him. The boy blushed slightly, pulling his hair further over his face and looking away, mumbling under his breath. </p>
<p>The rest of the boat ride was spent in awkward silence, except for Seamus's whispered question about the giant squid, which was brushed aside. Instead, they stared at the towering cliffs which got bigger and bigger as they drifted closer.</p>
<p>"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled as the first few boats reached the cliffs. They all bent down their heads and the little boats carried them through a thick curtain of ivy into a large underground-harbour of sorts. It was filled with little black pebbles and other things. Keziah spotted an old book on one of the larger rocks and a seagull on the rafters. It was a pretty place.</p>
<p>She paid attention as they walked through a passageway that led to the entrance to the school. She fully intended to return to that place, even if it cost her detention. They walked up a flight of stone steps, with Keziah nearly tripping twice, and crowded around a huge set of oak doors. </p>
<p>"Everyone still here? You there, still got yer toad?"</p>
<p>Keziah rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, unable to stop moving in fear of bursting from excitement. This was it! She stood on her tiptoes, watching as Hagrid raised a fist and banged the door three times, the knocks echoing through the night like cannon blasts.</p>
<p>The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had sharp, intelligent eyes behind a pair of square glasses that rested on a stern face. Minerva McGonagall. Keziah could hardly contain her exhilaration at seeing the woman. She felt someone grip her shoulder and turned towards Dean.</p>
<p>"Calm down," he said firmly. Keziah eyed Seamus who was silently snickering and she stuck her tongue out at the both of them but heeded Dean's request.</p>
<p>McGonagall pulled the doors wide open to reveal the gigantic Entrance hall. It could've fit the Dursley's house inside of it with room to spare. The stone walls were lit with elegant, flaming torches and the ceiling was too high to even make out. A spotless marble staircase faced them, leading away to the upper floors. </p>
<p>They followed McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. The drone of hundreds of voices drifted towards them, filling Keziah's insides with nervous energy. She twirled the loose curl of hair that had drifted into her face. McGonagall led them into a smaller chamber, which meant they all stood closer to each other than they normally would.</p>
<p>"Push off, you big lump," Keziah hissed, jabbing at Seamus who was pressed next to her.</p>
<p>"Shove off yourself," he hissed back, pushing her gently. They stopped when McGonagall glared at them sharply.</p>
<p>'Welcome to Hogwarts,' she said, smiling tightly. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.</p>
<p>'The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.</p>
<p>'The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarted yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.' Her eyes lingered for a moment on some students upfront.</p>
<p>'I will return when we are ready for you,' said Professor McGonagall. 'Please wait quietly.'</p>
<p>She left the chamber. Keziah swallowed nervously.</p>
<p>"How do yeh think they sort us?" Seamus asked, poking her arm. Dean shrugged. Keziah leaned closer to them, not wanting many people to hear her and question her knowledge.</p>
<p>"We're sorted by some hat!"</p>
<p>"You're lying!" Dean laughed. Keziah shook her head earnestly.</p>
<p>"I'm not! I'll bet you on it," she said, smiling coyly. "Fifteen sickles?"</p>
<p>"Sure," Dean said, shaking her hand. Seamus looked at him, shocked.</p>
<p>"Yeh took that! Yeh're as mad as a bag o' ferrets, mate!" he said, barely concealing a grin. Before Keziah could come up with another quip, something happened which made her scream. The room had been filled, quite startlingly, with ghosts. Twenty or so pearly-white figures floated above their heads, talking to each other without as much as a glance downwards. Dean rubbed his ears, mock-glaring at her.</p>
<p>"Bloody banshee, yeh are," Seamus groaned, eyeing the ghosts warily. Keziah ignored him. She couldn't help but notice one of the ghosts, a long-haired silvery lady who looked extremely sad yet extremely smug. A different ghost was staring longingly at her, his figure draped with chains. Keziah gasped lightly as she realised who they were. The Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron, Hogwarts' greatest romance, she thought dryly. </p>
<p>The party of ghosts stopped, staring at them. Keziah belatedly realised that the ghosts were addressing them. A cheerful-looking friar clapped his hands.</p>
<p>"New students," he said, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"</p>
<p>Keziah nodded mutely, bewitched by the thought of actual ghosts speaking to her. Well, not her specifically but you get the gist. </p>
<p>"Hope to see you all in Hufflepuff," said the friar. "My old house, you know."</p>
<p>"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The ceremony is about to begin."</p>
<p>McGonagall had returned. One by one the ghost drifted through the opposite wall. Keziah's stomach had disappeared and her heart had migrated north to her throat. She hadn't thought about houses yet, but now, standing in the cramped little chamber, she was petrified. Back in her normal world, she'd gotten several different houses over the years. She wondered if being divergent was a thing. </p>
<p>McGonagall ordered them into a line. There was a lot of pushing and shoving, with Seamus disappearing through the sea of robes and cloaks. Keziah was pushed into a space between a short girl with lilac hair and a taller girl behind her with hair so blonde it was a feathery white. They walked back into the Entrance Hall and through the double doors which hid the rest of the school. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For a few moments, Keziah's anxieties disappeared as she gazed around at the Great Hall. It was strangely beautiful, with a ceiling that reflected the starry night sky. The place was lit by thousands of candles, hovering a few feet above the students. The tables were covered in glittering gold plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another table, with a purple tablecloth, that housed the Hogwarts staff. Dotted here and there among the students, Keziah could spot the misty silver outline of a ghost. The student bodies' faces turned into flickering lanterns, itching at Keziah's skin, her nervousness creeping back in, its nails digging into her back.</p><p>She quickly turned her attention back to the front as McGonagall placed a three-legged stool in front of them, as well as a grubby old witch's hat. Keziah's blood ran cold as she realised the Sorting Hat could read your mind. She wondered if it would call her out on her unique predicament of actually being from a different universe in the future?</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,<br/>
<br/>
But don't judge on what you see,"</em>
</p><p>Keziah jumped. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the hat had begun singing.<br/>
<br/>
<em>"I'll eat myself if you can find<br/>
<br/>
A smarter hat than me.<br/>
<br/>
You can keep your bowlers black,<br/>
<br/>
Your top hats sleek and tall,<br/>
<br/>
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat<br/>
<br/>
And I can cap them all.<br/>
<br/>
There's nothing hidden in your head<br/>
<br/>
The Sorting Hat can't see,<br/>
<br/>
So try me on and I will tell you<br/>
<br/>
Where you ought to be.<br/>
<br/>
You might belong in Gryffindor,<br/>
<br/>
Where dwell the brave at heart,<br/>
<br/>
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry<br/>
<br/>
Set Gryffindors apart;<br/>
<br/>
You might belong in Hufflepuff,<br/>
<br/>
Where they are just and loyal,<br/>
<br/>
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true<br/>
<br/>
And unafraid of toil;<br/>
<br/>
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you have a ready mind,<br/>
<br/>
Where those of wit and learning,<br/>
<br/>
Will always find their kind;<br/>
<br/>
Or perhaps in Slytherin<br/>
<br/>
You'll make your real friends,<br/>
<br/>
Those cunning folk use any means<br/>
<br/>
To achieve their ends.<br/>
<br/>
So put me on! Don't be afraid!<br/>
<br/>
And don't get in a flap!<br/>
<br/>
You're in safe hands (though I have none)<br/>
<br/>
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"</em></p><p>Keziah frowned. The way that the hat had talked, more like sung, about Slytherin didn't sit right with her. Still, she applauded along with the rest of the school. McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment. She cleared her throat, staring out at the entire hall before looking back down.</p><p>"Abbot, Hannah!"</p><p>A pink-faced girl with blonde plaits stepped forward, rushing towards the hat and jamming it on her head, nibbling at her lips. There was a pause before the hat decided she sat best with the house of yellow and black.</p><p>The sorting continued like that for a bit. When Seamus stepped up, she cheered especially loud and gave him a thumbs-up as he made his way to the Gryffindor table. Then it was Hermione Granger. She looked quite different from Emma Watson, with a proper bush of dark hair that fanned out on either side of her. As expected, she was sorted into Gryffindor. There went a couple more people. Keziah watched as Neville Longbottom was sorted, rightfully, into Gryffindor, though he didn't look like one at the moment.</p><p>She scowled lightly when Draco Malfoy swaggered up, the hat barely touching his gelled-up hair before it chose his house. The lilac girl in front of her, Lily Moon, was also sorted into Slytherin. Moon had a sort of vacant expression as she drifted down into the seats, fiddling with a golden fork.</p><p>They sorted through a couple more people until McGonagall finally called out "Potter, Harry!"</p><p>The hall erupted into excited whispers, with some people kneeling up onto the benches to get a better look at him. Keziah stood up taller, catching Harry's eye and giving him a reassuring smile. He sat there for a minute or so, his knuckles white as he gripped the wooden stool. As the hat called out his house, the hall burst into ferocious cheers that hurt Keziah's ears. Harry walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. The cheers were so loud that Keziah didn't hear her name being called until the boy behind her poked her ribcage.</p><p>Glaring at him, she walked up to the stool, trying not to hurry. The hall went silent once again, apart from a few people still trying to spot Harry, and Keziah felt like she was Moses, walking along the Red Sea of children. Finally, she reached the hat and crammed it onto her head, pleasantly surprised that it didn't smell.</p><p><em>Hmmm. I see what they're doing, yes it's a risky move. But it could work?</em> a voice hissed into her ears. Keziah squeezed her eyes shut, despite the darkness.</p><p>"<span class="u">Well?</span>" she thought. "<span class="u">Get on with it! I'm here to get sorted, not for some teatime gossip.</span>"</p><p>
  <em>Yes, yes. Ah! A strong compass, I see, but it spins to a magnet of its own. Such a mind, perhaps too great? A desire to protect your loved ones, hmm, tricky, tricky.</em>
</p><p>Keziah gripped the edges of the hat, biting her lip. "<span class="u">Will you hurry up?</span>"</p><p>
  <em>So you do not ask me to place you with your brother? Why?</em>
</p><p>"<span class="u">I honestly don't care! People will see his name no matter where I am</span>," Keziah thought with gritted teeth. So perhaps she wasn't completely over her jealousy of Harry.</p><p>
  <em>You could be great with him, you know? Your name could be known as well as his own in Gryffindor.</em>
</p><p>"<span class="u">I'm not becoming great because of a stupid surname or house!</span>"</p><p>
  <em>Well, then you better be–</em>
</p><p>"SLYTHERIN!"</p><p>Keziah's arms had become boneless as she put down the hat and made her way to the Slytherin table. She wasn't sure about how she felt, being placed into Slytherin. It was a great house after all but in the time of war, it was dangerous for a Potter. Speaking of Potters, Keziah looked back at Harry, who was sitting at the opposite end of the table. He refused to look at her, talking animatedly to Percy Weasley. She grimaced, hurt by his pettiness.</p><p>She sat down next to a lanky boy who had the build of a string bean, with floppy brown hair. She turned back to the sorting, where a boy was just leaving the stool and making his way to the Ravenclaw table. Then a tiny girl with poofy space buns called Sophie Roper got sorted in Hufflepuff. After that, it was Dean's turn. She shot him a pair of encouraging finger guns before he sat down. He got sorted into Gryffindor and slid down right next to Seamus.</p><p>Keziah zoned out by then, her eyes drifting upwards to the staff table. She could see the silver-bearded Albus Dumbledore in all his magical glory, sitting in the middle. She also saw Quirrel, his head concealed by a large purple turban. She felt her invisible hackles rise, desiring nothing more than to knock the thing off his head and reveal him as a traitor.</p><p>She scanned the table to Professor Kettleburn, wanting desperately to know what the man had looked like, with most of his limbs compromised to creatures. And they called Hagrid rash! Eventually, she zeroed in on a man whose face was half-concealed by a silvery bandage and whose prosthetic bronze arm was burned and scratched. She snorted slightly.</p><p>The hall rang with sudden applause. Keziah realised she'd missed the rest of the sorting and clapped politely, hoping to disguise that fact. She watched the last boy, Blaise Zabini, sit next to 'string-bean boy' and high-five him.</p><p>Keziah's stomach growled lightly as she distantly remembered the slices of toast she'd eaten over twelve hours before. The gum inside her mouth felt stale compared to actual food. Albus Dumbledore stood up, beaming, his arms open wide.</p><p>"Welcome," he said warmly. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Nitwit! Oddment! Blubber! Tweak!"</p><p>Keziah laughed openly, as did a few other people. She heard 'string-bean boy' mutter "Utterly mad, I tell you," to his friend. However, the applause quickly gave way to excited gasps.</p><p>The tables had filled with giant platters of food, the wood creaking slightly under the weight. Keziah quickly served herself some mashed potatoes and carrots along with a generous cut of grilled steak. Perhaps in a different time, she'd be more concerned with keeping her diet Kosher but she'd given up on that ages before.</p><p>"So, Potter," she heard a drawling voice, brimming with smugness. Keziah looked up from her food to see Draco Malfoy across the table, grinning. "You did choose the right side, unlike your brother."</p><p>Draco's voice sounded so annoyingly triumphant that Keziah nearly gagged. Instead, she just glared at him, stabbing her steak meaningfully.</p><p>"Have you two met before?" 'string-bean boy' asked thoughtfully. He had barely touched the food, chewing slowly on a morsel of chicken.</p><p>"Once," said Draco at the same time as Keziah had harshly denied it. They both flushed, while 'string-bean boy' smirked.</p><p>They ate in awkward silence for a couple of minutes, in which Keziah had polished her food and started sucking on a mint humbug.</p><p>"I don't believe I caught your name," she said politely to 'string-bean boy'. She couldn't call him that forever, of course. He finally swallowed the damned piece of chicken and smiled cordially.</p><p>"Theodore Nott."</p><p>By this time, the Bloody Baron had floated over. He looked incredibly creepy, covered in silvery blood that had splashed all around him, as well as his heavy chains.</p><p>"The newest brood," he croaked, pointing his finger at Draco's cheeks. Draco shook the ghost off, edging into an older Slytherin. The children all glanced at each other, praying that the ghost would bugger off to creep some other people but apparently, he couldn't read the room and settled down in the seat.</p><p>When everyone had eaten as much as they could, with the Baron waxing poetic about food at every step, the plates wiped themselves clean. They filled up again with desserts galore. Keziah's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and she grabbed several cinnamon sugar cookies, pairing them with a generous scoop of ice cream.</p><p>Theodore Nott, she noticed, still didn't eat too much. He cut off barely a sliver of apple pie, nibbling it slowly.</p><p>"Why don't you eat you a lot?" she asked him. From his side, Blaise Zabini's eyes widened slightly and he began making chopping motions at his neck with his hands. Theodore himself had gone rigid.</p><p>"I don't like the food." He offered no other explanation and immediately looked over at Blaise, starting up a different conversation.</p><p>"Nice one, Potter," Draco smirked. Keziah glowered, flicking a lump of ice cream at him. It hit his collar dead on, leaving a sticky mess as it streaked down his clothes. He scowled at her, wiping the dessert off hastily with the tablecloth.</p><p>"I think it'd be a good thing for the both of us if you just shut up, Draco," Keziah said pleasantly, trying not to laugh at the boy's ferret-like expression. So Barty-Crouch-turned-Moody had been right with his transfiguration. The grin slipped off though, as she looked back at the Gryffindor table. Harry was laughing as he talked to his classmates, sitting with his back to her. She spotted Seamus and Dean too, having fun at their table. The two boys spotted her looking and waved slightly before turning back to their discussions.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Keziah looked back to the Slytherin table. Blaise stared at her, his eyes flickering to the Gryffindor table once or twice. She sighed and put on a brave face, running her fingers through her hair.</p><p>"I'm fine."</p><p>"You were raised by muggles, right? Do you know anything about Quidditch?" Blaise asked, nudging Theodore in the ribs. Keziah smiled slightly, knowing what he was doing. Technically, she was quite familiar with Quidditch but that would let the conversation die down quicker.</p><p>"Not really. It's a sport, right?"</p><p>"You have a lot to learn, Potter!" Blaise set off on a lecture about the ins and outs of Quidditch, helped by Theodore who was staring to relax after her earlier comment. Even Draco occasionally joined in on the conversation, though it was paired by a snide remark that earned him one back or a made-up boast. The discussion lasted up until all the desserts had disappeared and Albus Dumbledore stood up once again, the firelight twinkling against his silver glasses.</p><p>"Ahem– just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.</p><p>"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. A few of our older students would also make good to remember this.</p><p>I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes."</p><p>"What's he gonna do?" Theodore laughed unkindly. "Stop us? He can't even do magic himself!"</p><p>Keziah side-eyed him. On one hand, she knew how much of a prick Filch was but that didn't give people the right to insult him about a birth defect.</p><p>"And finally I must stress that you stay clear of the third-floor corridor to the right, 'les you want to die a very painful death."</p><p>One of the older Slytherins laughed and elbowed their friend. "Better than taking NEWTs."</p><p>"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Keziah snorted slightly, looking at the boys, who had equal expressions of disbelief and mirth.</p><p>"Is he serious?" she chortled. He was. Dumbledore flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew above their heads, twisting into words. Draco shook his head.</p><p>"I'm not singing," he said in a disgusted voice. Blaise shook his head, laughing.</p><p>"Lighten up, Draco! This is hilarious," he choked, while Theodore just stared, looking unsure to be scornful or amused.</p><p>As they began singing, Keziah laughed through the first few lines before she had to stop.</p><p>"I can't do this! Is he mad?" she giggled, looking at Blaise who was singing loudly. Theodore was staring at him in shock while Draco had buried his face in his arms, muttering furiously. Everyone finished the song at different times until it was just the Weasley twins warbling on, singing to the beat of a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore was conducting reverently and clapped the loudest when they'd finished.</p><p>"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"</p><p>They were led away by a very prim-looking girl with an impossibly tight ponytail. She introduced herself as Esmerelda Fawley and she looked very annoyed. She led them down a door which revealed a long spiral of stone steps.</p><p>"Silence as we walk down! Do you understand?" she asked sharply. Without waiting for any mumbled answers, Esmerelda started walking again. Theodore laughed lightly.</p><p>"Blimey! Is she on it or something?" he muttered. Keziah slapped him on the head once she realised what he was implying.</p><p>Eventually, they reached a blank stretch of wall that was only identifiable by the singular green torch blazing on the wall.</p><p>"Anguis," Esmerelda said firmly, tapping the wall. The first-years watched in awe as the wall melted away to reveal the common room. "That's the password for the first two weeks. Don't try to bring anyone else down here or you'll regret it. Trust me."</p><p>Without any other word, she disappeared through one of the many doors that surrounded the Slytherin common room. Confused, the first-years stepped through to admire the place. It was long and low, with a fire crackling loudly under an elaborate mantlepiece which housed a portrait of a grumpy old wizard. There were several large green windows, which looked as though they revealed the lake. It was beautiful, but in the same way that an underwater shipwreck or a creepy mansion was. </p><p>"What are you all doing here? Didn't Esme show you to your dorms?" a confused voice came up behind them. They all whipped around to see a stocky boy with a prefect badge staring at them. He was holding several bottles of something orange. A few older Slytherins sitting by the fire spotted him and yelled for him to join them.</p><p>"No, she didn't show us to our dorms," said one of the other girls. The prefect frowned and sighed.</p><p>"She should've never been made prefect," he muttered and pointed to a pair of double doors with serpent grips. "Girls on the left, boys on the right. Don't come down here until morning. Trust me."</p><p>He walked away, joining his friends who were talking and laughing raucously.</p><p>"I didn't know prefects were allowed to get drunk?" said the girl who'd spoken before. Draco rolled his eyes.</p><p>"That's because they're not, genius! They're doing it in secret."</p><p>"Then let's not give them any trouble about it," Keziah said, pulling Draco by the robes towards the door. He quickly scrambled out her grip.</p><p>"Get off me, Potter!" he barked. She sneered at him, making her way towards the girls' dormitory.</p><p>It was fancier and nicer than the common room. The room was decked out in silver and green with bright lanterns that hung from silver chains. There were five four-poster beds with deep green curtains and writing desks beside them, as well as a handsome grandfather clock in the corner. Keziah's trunk was placed neatly beside one of the beds, with Aslan's cage sitting neatly atop it.</p><p>Even though she'd slept on the train, as soon as she changed into her pyjamas, exhaustion hit Keziah like a frying pan. After undoing the locks on Aslan's cage, she flopped onto her bed, burying under the warm covers. She fell asleep almost immediately, the pendulum from the clock swinging hypnotically behind her eyelids.</p><p>Keziah found herself in a forest clearing. Daylight streamed in, illuminating the leaves and flowers. There was a woman there, sitting in what looked like a rocking chair. She wore a plain white dress, her hair hidden by a white bandana while she played around with an emerald green string, scissors swinging from her wizened fingers.</p><p>"You watch but do not touch. Your fate is not his, you are simply an audience until his fall. It is not your fate," she hissed, her mouth unmoving, the words hitting Keziah like gusts of wind. She was rendered frozen by the sheer power of the ancient woman, her wrinkled eyes dark.</p><p>The woman clicked her fingers and Keziah was suddenly falling until she stood in a small chamber, standing in front of a mirror.</p><p>"What's going on," she whispered, touching the glass. "Where am I?"</p><p>In the mirror, she could see Quirrel's hard face staring back at her. The walls of the room were alight with black fire and she saw Harry. His face was determined, but fear burned in his eyes. Keziah banged on the glass, desperate to help him.</p><p>"Let me out!" she screamed, banging on the glass again and again as the scene played out in front of her.</p><p>"Let me go! Do you hear me? Let me o–" the glass broke, shattering into a million pieces that flew around her head like water. Apart from a large chunk which flew directly into her face, cutting her vision black.</p><p>Keziah sat up, shaking and sweating. The room was pitch black, silent apart from her heavy breaths. She rolled over, hugging herself tightly and fell back asleep. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Watching everyone get parcels and letters while not getting any yourself, Keziah realised was quite depressing. She'd gotten used to it, of course, watching all these large well-fed owls descend from the rafters with claws full of sweets and other tokens. Plus the other Slytherins usually shared with her, with Daphne Greengrass letting Keziah have a sample of the sweets and perfumes her family would send. Even Draco would allow her to have a small piece of Honeydukes' fudge or a butterbeer lolly. </p><p>She did get a little bit of satisfaction, however, staring at Harry from across the Great Hall, that he didn't get anything either not through his owl or from his classmates. A small and very petty part of her thought it served him right for ignoring her ever since the Sorting Ceremony. Whenever she would raise her hand in greeting or try and talk to him, Harry would always be inexplicably busy or disappear among a random corridor. Fine, she'd thought grimly. If he was going to be a petty git, so would she.</p><p>Of course, none of her feelings towards Harry had anything to do with the reason that when Draco had come up to her on Tuesday afternoon, 'apologising' for being such a stuck-up prat, she'd accepted it. Her loud and dramatic answer had nothing to do with Harry's sudden appearance in the courtyard she and Draco were standing in, with Crabbe and Goyle standing guard. </p><p>Nothing at all.</p><p>On Friday, things went a little differently. She'd walked down with Daphne since Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode had thought it too much effort to wait for them and Lily Moon had wandered off again. Keziah had been pleasantly surprised to find that Daphne was a nice person to keep for one-on-one company. </p><p>Once they had finally made their way down to the Great Hall with minimal detours, Keziah found Hedwig waiting patiently on the breakfast table, pecking through Blaise's cereal.</p><p>"There you are, Keziah! Get your bloody bird away from my food!" he screeched, eyeing Hedwig mistrustfully.</p><p>"She's not mine, Blaise, " Keziah shrugged, poking Hedwig away from Blaise's food and pulling the scroll gently away from her ankle before shooing the bird away. It was a very short letter, written in a large and untidy scrawl.</p><p>"Who's writing to you?" Draco butted in, leaning over to stare at her mail from around Pansy, his voice muffled by toast. He nearly fell off the bench, from leaning just a bit too much. Pansy steadied him quickly, letting go of his robes as though he'd burned her. </p><p>"Haven't got the chance to read it yet, have I? Not with you nosy buggers around," Keziah snapped, earning a giggle from Daphne and a smirk from Theodore, who, once again, wasn't eating a thing.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Keziah,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hagrid.</em>
</p><p>Keziah borrowed a quill from Daphne and scribbled back a response, cringing at how it reduced her handwriting to chicken scratches. She missed her ballpoint pens. Because she had shooed Hedwig away, Keziah noticed that she didn't exactly have an owl to send a reply back with. Her solution came fluttering down with a tiny school owl that crash-landed on the table, not carrying anything. Keziah seized it by its fluffy middle and attached her reply, lobbing the feathery tennis ball up into the air.</p><p>"I believe that's called animal cruelty," Daphne winced, stroking her owl, Duchess fondly. Duchess, meanwhile, was happily helping herself to Blaise's abandoned cornflakes.</p><p>"It'll live," Keziah said flippantly, pouring sugar over her pancakes. "By the way, what've we got today?"</p><p>"Erm," Daphne fiddled with her schedule, which was practically painted in different coloured highlighters. "It's– oh! It's Double Potions with... with the Gryffindors."</p><p>"Are you serious!" a pair of Slytherins stopped by the group of first-years, wearing matching grins. One of them had dark curly hair that dangled around his jawline, while the other sported a blonde military cut.</p><p>"Eustace, did you hear that?" said curly-hair, elbowing the blonde while laughing. "Potions with the Gryffindors! Merlin, I wish we had that! The Ravenclaws are too swotty to try anything!"</p><p>"What's so great about Potions with the Gryffindor?" Pansy asked.</p><p>"Snape hates them! It's hilarious," Eustace grinned. </p><p>"Why does he hate them?" Daphne asked.</p><p>"Nobody knows, actually," Eustace shrugged. "Hey, Em, why does Snape hate them?"</p><p>"Ask him, why don't you? Anyway, it doesn't matter why Snape hates them. All that matters is that it's a riot! You could stab one of 'em and Snape would take points from the Gryffindors for getting blood everywhere," Em laughed, mock-saluting the group of first-years. "All right, we're off. Have fun at Potions."</p><p>The two boys walked off, still snickering. Keziah didn't say anything as the conversation descended into speculations about their next lesson. This would be the first time she came face to face with Snape and she was mildly terrified. She'd seen the looks he'd shoot her from the staff table and she was curious about how he'd treat her since, according to Hagrid, she was a mirror image of Lily Potter.</p><p>"Are you alright, Keziah?" Daphne asked, noticing how Keziah was chewing her nails, brows furrowed.</p><p>"Peachy," Kezias spat, her eyes drifting across the hall to Harry.</p><p>By the time they were making their way to the dungeons, Keziah was far from peachy. Her palms were clammy as hell and her nails were chewed down to the beds. As they walked down the spiral stairs, Daphne stopped her again.</p><p>"You're not fine, Keziah. What's going on? It's just Potions, you'll be fine! Even I've never made a potion and I'm a purebl–"</p><p>"It's not because I was raised by muggles," Keziah snapped, throwing Daphne's hand off her shoulder. She watched hurt flicker through Daphne's eyes and immediately felt bad. Keziah sighed, pushing her hair away from her face. "I'm sorry, Daphne. I'm nervous about Snape, okay?"</p><p>"Why would you be nervous about Snape?"</p><p>"I– he's been giving me weird looks all week and I think he hates me," Keziah lied, biting her lip.</p><p>"He hasn't even met you? Why would he hate you? Don't be silly, Keziah. You can't hate somebody you haven't spoken too or properly met!" Daphne said importantly.</p><p>"I'm also stressing out about Harry," Keziah admitted, looking properly at Daphne.</p><p>"He's still ignoring you, isn't he?" Daphne asked, to which Keziah nodded. She rubbed Keziah's shoulder sympathetically. "Oh, Keziah. I'd feel horrible if my sister didn't speak to me. But it's not your fault. You didn't ask to be sorted into Slytherin and it's Harry's job to get over himself. Okay?"</p><p>Keziah smiled and thanked Daphne. They rushed down the rest of the stairs, trying to catch up with their classmates before they entered the classroom.</p><p>The Potions classroom, Keziah noticed as Snape ushered them all in, was as dismal as its teacher. It was colder than the rest of the school and pleasantly decorated with pickled animals floating in glass jars. Daphne squeaked when she saw Snape's gruesome decorations and immediately dragged Keziah to the desk furthest away from them. </p><p>Unfortunately, that put the girls directly in the front. Before Keziah could protest or move sneakily towards the back, Snape shut the door and pulled out a long sheet of parchment, glaring at the room. Keziah sighed, pulling out her supplies. </p><p>Snape started with a register, his dark eyes settling on every student as they responded to their names. When he got to Harry, his voice lowered down to taunting hiss.</p><p>"Ah, yes," Snape said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new– celebrity."</p><p>Draco, along with Crabbe and Goyle, sniggered at the comment. Even Daphne tittered softly but immediately sobered up under Keziah's glare. </p><p>"Keziah Potter." Snape turned towards her and Keziah saw the way his eyes widened for a fraction of a second, hesitation and other emotions leaping out before disappearing. Keziah glared at him, her gaze unwavering. She gripped her quill so tightly that she was surprised it didn't snap under her fingers.</p><p>"Miss Potter, I believe it is common courtesy to respond when your name is called?" Snape asked, his voice flat, but Keziah could sense the repressed emotions behind it. </p><p>"Here, Professor," she said flatly. Snape stared at her for a moment, then carried on with his list. Keziah looked at Harry, who was staring determinedly at his desk. She frowned and Daphne, smiled at her understandingly.</p><p>Snape finished calling the names and overlooked the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's but held none of the warmth. They were like twin voids, dark and unforgiving.</p><p>"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death. If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."</p><p>Silence followed the speech. Keziah exchanged looks with Daphne. 'Dramatic, much?' Keziah mouthed, jabbing her thumb at Snape's turned back. Daphne nodded, holding back a snort.</p><p>"Mr Potter!" said Snape suddenly, pointing at Harry. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"</p><p>Keziah didn't look directly at Harry but around at the class. Apart from Hermione Granger, the class looked thoroughly stumped. Except for, maybe, Draco but that was only because he was too busy laughing. Keziah scowled, diving into her satchel and retrieving her textbook, flipping through the pages until she had her answer. </p><p>"I don't know, sir," said Harry. Snape's lips curled into a sneer.<br/><br/>"Tut, tut – fame isn't everything."</p><p>Keziah's glare deepened. She couldn't believe Snape was picking on Harry like this? Well, she could. She'd read about it for seven books, after all, but that wasn't the point.</p><p>"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"</p><p>"Well, that's an easy question. You find them in goats' bellies," Daphne muttered quietly. Keziah shrugged.</p><p>"Still, Snape shouldn't be picking on him like that. If he doesn't know the answer, you leave him alone," Keziah whispered harshly, trying to ignore Draco, Crabbe and Goyle who was practically shaking from silent laughter. Even Blaise and Theodore were sporting open grins.</p><p>Harry shifted uncomfortably under Snape's gaze and Keziah got angrier. </p><p>"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape taunted, smiling maliciously. Harry didn't break Snape's gaze, his fists curled up. Hermione's hand was quivering in the air and Keziah let hers join it. Snape ignored it.</p><p>"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"</p><p>"There's no difference. They're the same plant. It's a trick question you're asking a first-year so you can gloat about knowing more than a child. Read the room, sir. Only Granger knows the answers," Keziah called out, rising from her seat. </p><p>"Sit down, Miss Potter."</p><p>"No," Keziah said sharply. The single word sent a chorus of gasps ringing through the class as every eye turned to her. "If you're going to pick on Harry, then I'm not going to sit down and let it happen. He doesn't know the answer and neither does most of the class. Even if you do want to test knowledge, why are just picking on him?"</p><p>"Miss Potter, I am warning you–"</p><p>"I'm not finished, <em>Professor</em>. If you must know, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. And I already gave you the answer to your last question. Now I want to ask you a question, sir. Why does any matter of Harry's fame apply to the classroom? Just because our parents were <em>murdered</em> doesn't make us any better at potions than everyone else!" Keziah ranted. Snape's lips curled into a snarl, his eyes darkening even further.</p><p>"Detention, Miss Potter. I will not tolerate such language in my classroom. And a point from Gryffindor since Mr Potter can't even be bothered to open a book," Snape said softly, daring anyone else to speak.</p><p>"What the hell were you thinking?" Daphne cried, pulling Keziah back into her seat. Her cheeks were flushed from anger and excitement at telling off a teacher.</p><p>"I wasn't," Keziah grinned, running her fingers through her hair, ruffling it up.</p><p>The lesson didn't get any better from there. Snape set them to mixing up a simple potion for curing boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. It was quite easy, Keziah realised as she worked. It was like her Food class in secondary school, except her teacher was a Gordan Ramsey from hell. She knew what she was doing since Snape didn't criticise her at all. He just swept by their table without any comment, although he tore into all the other students. Apart from Draco, who could do no wrong in Snape's eyes. As Snape praised him, Draco sent her faces across the room which Keziah happily returned.</p><p>He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville Longbottom had somehow melted his cauldron into a twisted glob and his potion was streaking all across the floor burning holes into people's shoes. Keziah lept up onto her stool, pulling her satchel too. There was no way her things were getting ruined. She squatted down and carried on with her work, while Daphne kept her steady so she didn't fall into the toxic mess.</p><p>She dimly listened to Snape yelling at Neville but was more focused on not ruining her work. Even if Snape didn't think much of her, she refused to give him any more reasons to hate her. That was until–</p><p>"You– Potter– why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Did you think he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."</p><p>Keziah's head shot up as she whirled around to stare at Snape. How dare he even insinuate it was Harry's responsibility to make sure Neville wasn't incompetent? She was about to start chewing him out again when she felt a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"It's not worth it, Keziah," Daphne hissed urgently. "You're just going to earn yourself another detention."</p><p>Keziah stopped and took a deep breath. Daphne was right. She wouldn't be able to make Snape a completely different person with a few angry words. She glared at him from her chair and carried on making her potion until the end of class, an hour later.</p><p>"Miss Potter, I want a word with you," Snape called as he dismissed the rest of the class. Keziah paused, nodding for Daphne to go on. She looked down at her satchel, considering Snape's request.</p><p>"It'll have to wait, professor. I have to speak to my brother and you'll be seeing me at detention anyways. I'll be down here at eight?" Keziah said quickly, rushing out of the dungeons and clambering up the stairs before Snape could get a word in edgeways. Up ahead was Harry and Ron. Keziah grinned.</p><p>"–believe I lost two points!" Harry said miserably, looking up at Ron.</p><p>"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George."</p><p>"Yeah, and at least you didn't get detention!" Keziah laughed, stepping into the conversation and swinging her arm around Harry. She nodded at Ron, who waved pleasantly. Harry had gone silent, his face passive.</p><p>"Harry?" she asked tentatively, letting go of him. </p><p>"Keziah," Harry started, looking at her shoulder. "I– would you like to come with us to Hagrid's?"</p><p>Keziah wilted slightly. She'd been expecting an apology but at least Harry had spoken to her.</p><p>"Sure thing! He sent me an invitation this morning, anyway," she said brightly, leaving the boys to catch up to her friends.</p><p>At around five to three and after a few minutes of nosy pestering from Draco, Keziah joined Harry and Ron in the entrance hall so they could meet Hagrid. Daphne had offered to come along as moral support but Keziah had turned her down. She wasn't sure Hagrid would appreciate so many unexpected guests.</p><p>They made their way across the grounds in awkward silence until they reached Hagrid's large wooden house. It sat on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, with a giant crossbow and a pair of boots sitting on the doorstep.</p><p>When Keziah knocked twice, they heard frantic scrabbling from inside, along with several booming barks that made her ears ring. Hagrid's hairy face appeared in the crack of the door, as cheery as ever.  </p><p>"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang!"</p><p>He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. Keziah stared at it, panic starting to set in. She hated big dogs and always had. Hagrid was talking merrily to Harry and Ron but it sounded like he was talking underwater. She gripped Harry's shoulder, hiding behind him.</p><p>"Keziah?" Hagrid asked uncertainly, approaching her, still gripping the dog. Keziah let out a whimper, backing away from the creature, nearly tripping on the thick stones surrounding Hagrid's house. They all stared at her as she pointed at the dog, her hands shaking slightly.</p><p>"D–dog!" she spluttered, shaking her head as Hagrid struggled to keep in under control. "Don't like–"</p><p>Hagrid nodded gently, moving back into his hut and returning with a thick leather leash. He looped it around the dog's collar and dragged it around the back. Keziah relaxed slightly as soon as they had disappeared, nervously stumbling back to Harry and Ron. She stared at them anxiously, waiting for the judgement.</p><p>"You're scared of dogs?" Ron asked curiously. She nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Oh. I'm scared of spiders. Don't worry, we're all scared of something." Ron smiled awkwardly, looking at Harry. </p><p>Keziah smiled slightly, straightening up and also looking at Harry. "Hey, what are you scared of?"</p><p>"Not scared of anything," Harry muttered. </p><p>"Yeah, except Quirrel's bloody turban. That smell can scare anyone away," Ron laughed. Harry quickly joined in but Keziah stayed silent, realising she hadn't even considered what to do about Quirrelmort, her new nickname for the two evils.</p><p>Hagrid returned by then and ushered them all inside, taking a copper kettle off the fire.</p><p>"So, Keziah," Hagrid began, his eyes raking her Slytherin uniform. "A black sheep, aren't yeh? I think yeh nan was in Slytherin. Can't remember yer grandparents, though."</p><p>Keziah's eyes widened and she looked at Harry who had perked up. But Hagrid offered no more information and pointed at Ron. "Who's yer friend?"</p><p>"This is Ron," Harry said, taking a rock cake from the plate Hagrid had set out. Keziah declined them politely, deciding she wanted to keep all her teeth, thank you very much.</p><p>"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."</p><p>Keziah sat in awkward silence as Harry and Ron eagerly recounted their first year. She chimed in occasionally but stayed mostly silent. She didn't want Harry listening to how much of a good time she was having in Slytherin.</p><p>"Keziah, yeh've been quiet," Hagrid said suddenly. Shit.</p><p>"Umm, sorry?" </p><p>"How is it, in Slytherin?" Harry spoke up, staring at her hard. Keziah's cheeks warmed up.</p><p>"It's good, I guess. I'm friends with Daphne Greengrass and I– erm, I like transfiguration?" Keziah mumbled, staring at the fireplace. She stayed quiet for long enough that it turned awkward. </p><p>"I think Snape hates me," Harry blurted out, looking up at Hagrid for support. Keziah scowled at him. </p><p>"You still haven't thanked me for standing up for you," she muttered, grabbing a small rock cake and slamming it against the table, watching small pieces skitter everywhere. Harry stared at her in surprise. His silence acted almost like a spark, adding a jolt of anger to the fire.</p><p>"You haven't said anything to me, Harry, since Sunday! It's not my fault that I got sorted into bloody Slytherin or you think I'm suddenly evil! I lied, I love it in Slytherin. In a week, they've all been far better to me than you have! I yelled at Snape for you and what do you do? You ignore me even more! I'll see you around when you learn to grow up."</p><p>Keziah had stood up by the end of it, her eyes watering dangerously. She grabbed her satchel from the floor, the straps swinging from the force. Controlling her anger for a few seconds, she thanked Hagrid and said good-bye to Ron, who'd put down his rock cake and watched the two siblings like a tennis match. Then, she wrenched open the door and stormed away.</p><p>*</p><p>After dinner was finished, Keziah reluctantly said goodbye to her friends. Why did she have to open her big mouth? she thought ruefully, taking a corner passageway to the not-so-nice part of the dungeons. </p><p>Snape was waiting for her, his hands folded across each other, his expression dangerously blank.</p><p>"Miss Potter, you're here for your detention," he said quietly.</p><p>"I hadn't noticed! Here I was, thinking we were going to have a lovely chat," Keziah said sourly, regretting it as soon as the words left her mouth. Snape sneered at her, pointing idly at a large barrel of red liquid. "What's that?"</p><p>"Kneazle blood. Bottle all of it, without magic. Leave your wand at my desk. If you don't finish by midnight, you can come back tomorrow evening. And no hairs," Snape hissed. Keziah paled, staring at the barrel. She'd seen Kneazles in her book about magical creatures. They looked awfully like Aslan. </p><p>"Is there a problem, Potter?"</p><p>"No, sir," she said quickly, dropping her wand at Snape's desk and rolling up her robes. She cringed every time the tiny glass vials hit the liquid. Snape didn't help her mood either.</p><p>"You may think, Potter," he said, "that you can act as you please, just because you happen to be famous. But you're nothing more than an arrogant brat who has no respect for their superiors."</p><p>"Well at least I have respect to my equals," Keziah snapped, looking up at the Potions master. "At least I don't treat my students like shit for no reason. We didn't ask to be famous, Professor. Our parents were murdered. We're not the children of a musician or some puffed up movie star."</p><p>"Mind your language, Potter," Snape said finally. His face was hidden slightly behind his curtain of greasy black hair. </p><p>Keziah wanted to continue but she'd spent too much of the day yelling and stewing in her anger. She took a deep breath and grabbed the next vial. They spent the next hour in total silence until the clock hit eleven and Keziah had bottled the last drops of the blood. Her hands were covered in the stuff and shaking slightly. </p><p>"I'm finished, Professor," she whispered into the cold silence, the chill of the room finally settling into her skin. Snape finally got up from his desk and inspected the cluster of vials. He sneered at them and turned back to her.</p><p>"Good enough," he said, giving her her wand back and motioning to the door. "Get back to your common room. If Filch finds you, it is not my responsibility."</p><p>"Sir, what about my hands?"</p><p>"What about them?" Snape sneered as she shuffled to the door. Keziah looked back but the door had already shut and she was standing in the cold empty dungeons.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Lignis foramen</em>," Keziah commanded, flicking her wand in a very precise movement. Ever since her first transfiguration lesson nearly a week ago, where she'd turned the matchstick silver, Keziah had been determined to complete the spell. Currently, the object in front of her was certainly metal but stubbornly matchstick-shaped. She groaned, letting her head drop onto the desk.</p><p>"I don't see why you're so worried about this. You should be more worried about Quirrel's essay on imps," Daphne said pleasantly, sitting on a pouffe and leafing through an edition of Teen Witch.</p><p>"Quirrel can go suck Merlin's balls. I don't see why he's even teaching us, seeing as he's too scared to properly learn about his stupid subject," Keziah snapped, repeating the spell. The matchstick rolled over slightly, its rounded edge sharpening.</p><p>"You probably shouldn't talk about teachers that way," Daphne said, her cheeks pinkening at Keziah's language.</p><p>Keziah rolled her eyes, leaning dramatically against her friend's chair. She hated Quirrel's class, not only because he was technically hosting Voldemort like some human parasite. He didn't even know how to teach and his lessons were more pathetic than him. On top of that, she still didn't know how to out him as a pseudo-Horcrux in a way that wasn't suspicious.</p><p>"I'll respect him if he does his job," Keziah muttered, looking down at her metal stick-thingy and repeating the spell for the last time, flicking her wand with a bit more strength. She watched in excitement as it immediately sharpened down into a proper needle. She leapt up, gripping the tiny thing and squealed.</p><p>"I DID IT!" she shrieked, jumping up and down. The other students in the common room edged away from her, rubbing their ears.</p><p>"You don't need to get your knickers all in a twist," Blaise snickered as he joined her, followed quickly by Theodore. "What exactly did you do? Cure dragonpox?"</p><p>"I finally transfigured this bloody matchstick!" Keziah beamed, holding up her fine creation. Theodore gazed at it in awe for a few seconds.</p><p>"Wow! You completed a spell! So you aren't a squib, after all, Potter," he laughed, his expression dropping back to an apathetic smirk.</p><p>"Bugger off, you bastard," Keziah said, shoving him gently. "I'll poke you with my wand and show you just how magic I am."</p><p>"Kinky," Blaise snorted, only to get hit on the head by Daphne.</p><p>"Watch your language, Blaise! And get your head OUT of the gutter," she hissed, burying her face in her palms. The other three laughed at her embarrassment but quieted down. They sat like that for a small while, with Keziah leaning against the pouffe where Daphne rested, while Theodore and Blaise sat against the ornamental table.</p><p>Until Draco came sprinting up to them, holding a piece of parchment, grinning broadly. Crabbe and Goyle came lumbering through the door a few seconds after, panting hard and doubling over.</p><p>"Guess what, you guys?"</p><p>"I'm guessing you're going to tell us anyway?" Keziah asked, looking up. Draco rolled his eyes and pointed to the parchment.</p><p>"Flying lessons!" he burst out. "Oh, I can't wait to see Potter make a fool of himself. Let's see if he's as pathetic on the Quidditch Pitch as he is in Potions. He thinks he's so great with his stupid scar and glasses–"</p><p>They all glanced at each other as Draco steamrolled on with his daily rant about Harry. It had become as commonplace as the mermaids whacking the windows with their tails. And just like that, the students learned to tune it out.</p><p>In all honesty, Keziah was rather nervous about the flying lessons. As a child, she'd never been particularly athletic, choosing to stand at the back and scream if a ball hit her legs. She'd gotten yelled at a lot for that. Plus, it wasn't as though Quidditch and flying was something you could learn from a book.</p><p>Her nervousness grew as everyone got more excited. Theodore wouldn't shut up about how he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the rolling hills of Yorkshire. Draco told long and boasting tales that always seemed to end in him narrowly escaping helicopters. After Keziah had called bull on the first instance and smacked him on the head, he only retold such stories in front of Harry and the other Gryffindors.</p><p>"What?" he'd protested loudly when his classmates had all groaned.</p><p>Even Daphne had ridden a broomstick despite living in the very heart of Muggle London. Lily Moon, on the other hand, had never been on a broomstick in her life and neither had Blaise, surprisingly. While Lily stood firm on the fact that she preferred her feet safe on the ground thank you very much, Blaise had offered no such explanation and just chose to go deaf when questioned.</p><p>At breakfast on Thursday, a week later, Keziah had just about had enough of the word 'broomstick' and the lessons hadn't even started. Draco was across from her, opening his weekly parcel of sweets with a nasty grin, looking over a Gryffindor table. Keziah sighed, knowing exactly why he was acting so strange.</p><p>Next to her, Blaise looked weirdly anxious, chewing slowly on his eggs as though they were his final meal.</p><p>"You alright, mate?" she asked, poking him in the arms. He let his fork drop, staring at her as though he'd only just realised she was there.</p><p>"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired," he mumbled. Keziah knew he was lying but didn't want to push.</p><p>"Have you done the Herbology essay yet? I'm shite at it and thought you could help?" she asked casually, drawing a smiley face in her porridge with the honey. </p><p>"Why don't you ask Theo? He's brilliant at it," Blaise said.</p><p>"I– erm– you're smart too?" Keziah shrugged. Blaise rolled his eyes, looking up at the rafters in annoyance before turning to her.</p><p>"I know what you're doing, Keziah. <em>I'm fine</em>," he said shortly. Before Keziah could interject, he turned around to talk to Millicent.</p><p>"Hey, look what Longbottom's got," Draco said suddenly, the bench scraping slightly as he jumped up, Crabbe and Goyle following. Keziah sighed.</p><p>"I'm going to go make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," she said to nobody in particular, hurrying after Draco and grabbing his wrist.</p><p>"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.</p><p>"Nothing," Draco said casually, weaselling his way out of her grip and sauntering over to the Gryffindor table, snatching a cloudy red ball out of Neville Longbottom's hands.</p><p>Keziah pinched the bridge of her nose and hurried over. So did McGonagall. They eyed each other sympathetically.</p><p>"What's going on here," McGonagall snapped.</p><p>"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."</p><p>Scowling, Draco dropped the ball onto the table. "Was just looking," he muttered sulkily, slinking away from the table with his cronies in tow. Keziah looked down at Neville.</p><p>"Sorry about him, Neville," she said, holding out her hand. "I don't think we've officially met. I'm Keziah,"</p><p>Neville smiled slightly and shook her hand. Beside him were Harry and Ron, slowly sitting back down. Keziah refused to acknowledge them and looked over at the group of Gryffindors. Hermione Granger was frantically flipping through Quidditch through the Ages and Keziah realised with a start that she'd never talked to the girl, despite her being a childhood idol.</p><p>"You're Hermione Granger, right?" Keziah started, casually. Hermione looked up, seemingly surprised that Keziah had even addressed her.</p><p>"Yes, I am. Who are you, exactly,"</p><p>"I'm Keziah. You're smart, right?"</p><p>"I suppose I am," Hermione said, relaxing at Keziah's question.</p><p>"Well, I'm terrible at Herbology and my friends are all gits," Keziah laughed. Technically, she wasn't lying. She was struggling with the subject. She'd never been good at botany and her struggles had been brought over.</p><p>"When is it due?" Hermione asked, setting down her book.</p><p>"Erm, Monday, I think. Could we meet tomorrow after Potions?"</p><p>"Of course! Just walk over here after lunch and we'll get started," Hermione said brightly, grabbing a small sheet from her bag and marking something down.</p><p>"Yup." Keziah smiled awkwardly, giving Hermione a pair of thumbs-ups and walking away from the table after greeting Dean and Seamus. She didn't want to go back to the table so she made her way directly to Transfiguration.</p><p>*</p><p>At three-thirty that afternoon, Keziah and all the other Slytherins spilt out onto the large patch of grass right outside the school. The sky was clear and the grass rippled under their feet.</p><p>"Perfect day for flying," said Theodore, clapping his hands together. Daphne mimicked him mockingly, causing the entire group to burst out into laughter. They all hurried to the stretch of lawn which would be used for their lessons.</p><p>All that was there were twenty-or-so brooms, lined up in two rows. Draco immediately ran forward, sizing up each model. He stood next to one which looked much newer and in shape than the rest. He quickly pointed out nine others.</p><p>"These are good. Take them before the Gryffindors arrive," he said quickly, glancing around in case their teacher had miraculously arrived. Just as he spoke, the Gryffindors arrived. Keziah easily picked out Harry and Ron among them.</p><p>She smiled lightly at her broom, which was somewhat polished and had all its twigs in good condition, unlike some of them. Then their teacher arrived. Madame Hooch had short grey hair and amber eyes, with dark blue robes which were designed for sport. She was the same height as most of the class but had an imposing aura suitable for somebody twice her size.</p><p>"Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."</p><p>The Gryffindors scrambled next to the broomsticks left. Draco coughed into his fist, disguising a snort.</p><p>"Stick out your wand arm over your brooms," called Madame Hooch from the front. "Say 'UP!'"</p><p>"UP!" everyone shouted in unison.</p><p>Keziah saw that Harry and Draco's brooms shot into their hands immediately, as well as Theodore's. She looked down at her own which had just rolled over slightly. She glared at it. Blaise's hadn't moved at all. He just stood there staring at his broom with a mixed expression.</p><p>"Get UP you stupid piece of wood," she commanded, kicking the broom. It lifted and hit her in the shin before settling back on the ground. Daphne laughed, spinning her broomstick from hand to hand. Keziah sighed.</p><p>"Fine, I'm sorry. Up, please?" she asked, feeling silly for talking to a broom. But, it worked. The broom slowly floated into her hand as though it was being forced. Keziah gripped it tightly in case it tried to escape.</p><p>After that, Madame Hooch went over the basics of mounting their brooms and walked up and down, correcting their grips. Keziah had laughed when Hooch had told Draco he'd been doing it wrong for years. She sobered up when the teacher reached her and moved her hands into a completely different position. Why couldn't she do this as easily as Harry? she thought dismally.</p><p>"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick, off. Hard," said Madame Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and then come straight down by leaning forwards slightly. On my whistle– three– two–"</p><p>Neville, nervous and jumpy, pushed off hard before Madame Hooch had even finished counting.</p><p>"Come back, boy," she shouted but it was no use. Neville was rising straight up like a cork out of a bottle. Keziah saw his scared, white-as-a-sheet face look down at the ground drifting away, saw him gasp and slide sideways just a little too much–</p><p>Keziah's scream echoed at the same time Neville's body hit the ground with a loud WHAM. He lay face down in the ground, while his broomstick drifted up and up disappearing among the trees of the Forbidden Forest. She gripped Daphne's arm hard.</p><p>"Is he alright?" she panicked. Madame Hooch muttered something and picked up Neville bridal style. The boy was tear-stained and gasping out of pain but very much alive and conscious.</p><p>"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch," Madame Hooch said sharply, cradling Neville as she marched into the castle. Keziah sighed in relief.</p><p>Draco, on the other hand, burst into nasty laughter.</p><p>"Did you see his face, the great lump?"</p><p>Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Millicent joined Draco in his laughter. Blaise looked mildly sick, staring at the spot Neville had landed, while Theodore talked to him quietly. Lily Moon was some distance away, sitting cross-legged in the grass and weaving a daisy chain.</p><p>"Shut up, Malfoy," said Parvati Patil. Keziah nodded, shifting herself until she was standing near Dean, but not completely next to him. It seemed symbolic almost, with the Gryffindors and Slytherins facing each other and she stuck in the middle.</p><p>"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom," Pansy laughed shrilly. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."</p><p>Parvati's expression wavered for a second, glaring at Pansy and Keziah instantly realised the two had a history.</p><p>"Shut up, Pansy," she said sharply, turning to glare at her classmate. The fierce grin vanished from Pansy's face, replaced by a snarl. But Draco interrupted the budding catfight.</p><p>"Look," he cried, darting forward and holding something up. The sun reflected on it, a blood-red stream of light hitting the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."</p><p>"Put that down," Keziah snapped, moving forward to tug on his sleeve and perhaps snatch the thing away.</p><p>"Give that here, Malfoy," Harry spoke up quietly, but it commanded the class's attention. Draco moved away from Keziah, smiling nastily.</p><p>"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect– how about– up a tree?"</p><p>Keziah rolled her eyes, grabbing Draco's hand.</p><p>"How about you put the goddamn thing down and stop acting like a git?" she hissed, trying to snatch the small ball from Draco's curled fist. Surprisingly, though, Draco was decently strong and quickly wriggled away from her.</p><p>"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry yelled adding fire to the flame. Draco cocked his head and in the blink of an eye, he was on a broomstick whizzing through the air. He hadn't been lying either, Draco could fly well. He hovered near the top level of an oak tree.</p><p>"Come an get it, Potter," he called tauntingly. Harry and Keziah glanced at each other quickly, unsure of who Draco was taunting. Harry grabbed his broom.</p><p>"No!" shouted Hermione. "Madame Hooch told us not to move– you'll get us all in trouble."</p><p>"Lighten up, Granger," Keziah called, glancing at the determination burning in Harry's eyes. She would bet money that not even a hurricane could stop him at this rate. "He'll be fine."</p><p>Hermione fumed, about to turn on Keziah when Harry kicked off, soaring into the air. He whooped as he got higher and higher. Hermione's admonishments quickly blended into a screech of awe and terror. Keziah grinned as she watched Harry soar. She clapped noisily, smirking as she and Ron cheered loudly as each other.</p><p>Harry turned his broomstick sharply in mid-air to face Draco, who looked stunned. Keziah wished she had a camera.</p><p>They yelled something at each other but Keziah couldn't hear it over the slight rush of the breeze paired with their height. Suddenly, Harry spun forward like a javelin, bolting toward Draco who only jerked his broom away in a nick of time. Keziah's jaw dropped and she slowly began clapping again, joined by Seamus, Dean and surprisingly, Daphne.</p><p>"Catch it if you can," Draco shouted and tossed the ball into the air and streaked towards the ground.</p><p>Keziah raced to greet him, her eyes partly fixed on Harry, who'd rushed to catch the small ball. She stopped as he inched into a steep dive, the wind ruffling his hair. Parvati and Lavender Brown were screaming in mounting excitement as he stretched out his hand, a foot away from the ground. Keziah changed course midway, deciding to rush towards Harry instead. He stopped suddenly, the force of it sending him tumbling gently into the grass.</p><p>"HARRY POTTER,"</p><p>Professor McGonagall was running towards them. Harry got to his feet, trembling</p><p>"Never – in all my time at Hogwarts –" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "– how dare you – might have broken your neck –"</p><p>Keziah looked at Harry, crowded by his Gryffindor classmates, all clamouring to defend him and she shook her head slightly, turning to face Draco, surrounded by a triumphant Crabbe and Goyle and Pansy who was shitting kittens over him.</p><p>"That was so brilliant! I thought he was going to kill you," she crowed as Keziah marched over, pinching Draco hard on the ear, despite the fact McGonagall was less than a foot away.</p><p>"What! Were! You! Thinking!" she shrieked, slapping Draco's arm with every word, her grip on his ear tightening.</p><p>"Get off him!" Pansy cried, but one glare from Keziah silenced her. Draco looked unrepentant, wincing slightly at the pain in his ears.</p><p>"You can let go of me," he said pleasantly. Keziah was so furious at his nonchalant behaviour that she loosened her grip, letting Draco move away.</p><p>"Don't think you're not off the hook. You are such a bloody bully!" she hissed, gripping his arm so he couldn't escape. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles threateningly.</p><p>"Boil your heads, the both of you. What're you going to do? Hurt a <em>girl</em>?" Keziah snarled so viciously they backed off.</p><p>"You–" Keziah broke off, her cheeks burning. Draco's eyes were wide in fear and Pansy was standing a distance away, warily watching the scene. She felt a hand pull her away, the anger drooping out of her like a lead balloon. She let out a thin stream of air and glared at Draco as somebody pulled her away.</p><p>"Easy, tiger," Blaise laughed. "We don't need a murder on our hands."</p><p>"I mean," Theodore said quietly, sauntering up to them. "It would be very entertaining. And it might shut him up!"</p><p>Keziah smiled. Her anger had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and now she was just tired.</p><p>"Nah," she said snarkily. "He'd come back to haunt us all and rant about Harry all day, no matter what."</p><p>They all laughed, sitting down on the grass. Daphne joined them, having just been calming Pansy down. The sun shone down on them, the first red and gold leaves drifting down onto the grass. It was magnificent.</p><p>Madame Hooch didn't come back for ages and by the time she did, children were sword-fighting with the brooms and Keziah and her friends were all lying down on the grass, side by side, painting pictures in the clouds. The woman just shook her head, exhausted by the first lesson.</p><p>"We'll start properly next lesson," she said weakly, as Parvarti and Lavender rushed up to recount what had happened after she'd left.</p><p>*</p><p>Draco had mostly forgiven Keziah by dinner. He'd taken, instead, to loudly speculating all the horrible things Harry was enduring.</p><p>"Rules are there for a reason," he lamented gravely. "Eh, Granger?"</p><p>Hermione was passing the Slytherin table at that moment. Keziah waved awkwardly, elbowing Draco to get him to shut up.</p><p>"Sorry, Hermione," she said, trying for a smile. Hermione huffed, gripping the large book in her chest tightly and flouncing away. Draco rolled his eyes, looking over at the Gryffindor table where the Weasley twins were talking to Harry.</p><p>"Crabbe, Goyle, follow me," said Draco standing up dramatically and darting towards the other side of the hall, Crabbe and Goyle at his heels.</p><p>"You going to follow them?" Daphne asked casually, eating her steak-and-kidney pie with delicate gusto. Keziah still hadn't touched hers.</p><p>"Nah, I've had enough drama tod–" Keziah was cut off by Draco waving his arm calling her over.</p><p>"What were you saying?" Daphne said, her eyes twinkling.</p><p>"I will slit your throat," Keziah grunted before getting up, dragging her feet to the Gryffindor table. Draco was grinning broadly, his arms open wide.</p><p>"Keziah, what do you say to a little duel?"</p><p>"Draco, what are doing?" she asked shortly.</p><p>"I've just challenged your dear brother to a little duel and I want you as my second," he said. Keziah's nostrils flared as she gave a glance towards Harry and Ron.</p><p>"Why not use one of your cronies?" she asked, looking at Crabbe and Goyle, silent as ever.</p><p>"I thought it would be more fun if you were my second instead," Draco said, glaring at her meaningfully. Keziah wanted to call out the fact that she heavily doubted Draco had the balls to hold a duel but she realised his bluff.</p><p>"Alright," she said jauntily. "Trophy room, midnight?"</p><p>Draco nodded, swinging his arm around her shoulders, his grin widening.</p><p>"You heard her, Potter. Midnight," he sneered. "I'm betting Weasley is your second?"</p><p>Harry nodded, his jaw unusually tight.</p><p>Keziah felt hot as she looked at the two of them but shook off the feeling. This night would be for good. Harry would see Fluffy and recognise the trapdoor. It would all be for good, she told herself over and over as dinner progressed, her stomach turning more vigorously than a washing machine.</p><p>Hermione was glaring at her from the Gryffindor table, her nose high in the air. Keziah felt sicker.</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah couldn't sleep. Draco had spent the evening gloating about how he'd 'shown Potter' but she felt terrible. What if something did go wrong? Harry would go back to the Dursleys, the plot would be ruined and what would her fate be?</p><p>Keziah turned around onto her side, petting Aslan guiltily. The cat only ever showed itself at night, spending his time wandering the castle during the day. According to her clock, it was a quarter past eleven. She sat up, massaging her scalp.</p><p>"I can't do this," she said to herself, jumping out of bed. Aslan fell away from her with a soft thump. He yowled in indignation, skittering away under her bed. Keziah ignored him, stealing Daphne's thick green dressing-gown and pulling it over herself. She tied up her shoes and dashed out of the dormitories, careful not to wake anybody.</p><p>When she reached the door, she hesitated. Would Harry forgive her? Or would today be a few more coals, adding to the ever-burning flame? Keziah shook herself and whispered 'Lumos' out into the darkness.</p><p>She hadn't fully mastered the spell but knew it well enough that a dim spark lit up at the end of her wand. Keziah took off, hurrying up the spiral of dungeon stairs, stopping every time she heard a creak or a hiss. It was so late that even the portraits were sleeping.</p><p>In the darkness, she got lost several times. By the time she reached the trophy room, she knew she was too late. Inside it, Harry was standing there, along with Ron, Hermione and Neville. Keziah swore quietly and opened the door as quietly as she could, knowing that Filch was probably around the corner.</p><p>"You lot shouldn't be here," she hissed, eyeing the door fearfully.</p><p>"Did Malfoy chicken out then?" Ron asked.</p><p>"You shouldn't be here either," Hermione cried in indignation at the same time. The two blinked at each other.</p><p>"It was a trick," Keziah supplied hurriedly. "Draco didn't want a duel. He wanted to get you expelled."</p><p>"How do we know you weren't involved?" Harry asked suspiciously. Keziah bit her lip. She had been involved, knowingly.</p><p>"I wasn't," she lied. "But Filch is coming and we need to get out of here."</p><p>Harry hesitated, opening his mouth to challenge her again when there was a noise from a few feet away. Keziah jumped, extinguishing her wand and pressed her hand to her mouth.</p><p>"Sniff around, my sweet. They might be lurking in the corner."</p><p>It was Filch, speaking to Mrs Norris. Keziah bit the inside of her cheek, looking back at a horror-struck Harry and his friends. Before anybody could move a muscle, she made a split-second decision and raced out of the door, heading right for Filch.</p><p>"Hello, sir," she said pleasantly as though it was the middle of the day, instead of twelve hours later. Filch's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared at her.</p><p>"So you're the little rascal sneaking about, trying to break into the trophy room," he snarled. Keziah laughed brightly, as though she wasn't internally terrified.</p><p>"Well, it's not breaking in if I can do it. I'm a first-year with, like, three spells in my arsenal. What am I going to do? Turn the doorknob into a needle? Make a plaque float?" Keziah smirked, backing away from Filch as she spoke. Suddenly, there was a loud crash and Keziah heard Harry scream. She swore and looked up at the suit of armour next to her.</p><p>She grabbed it and tugged it to the floor so the corridor was filled with flying pieces of metal.</p><p>"A lovely talk but I have to go," Keziah grinned, tipping an invisible hat at Filch and pushing past him. She felt his bony fingers brush against the hood of her dressing-gown and ran faster, her shoes slapping against the stone.</p><p>By some miracle, Keziah didn't bump into anybody else until she dashed into the common room, spitting out the password. She took a heavy breath, her chest hurting immensely. Hogwarts needed some sort of exercise stations.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Draco was gobsmacked that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts and that Keziah had gone against Filch and made it out alive. So was everyone else.</p><p>"You are crazy, Keziah," Blaise said in disbelief as Keziah retold a dramatized version of the tale to her peers.</p><p>"I had to, didn't it?" she shrugged, jabbing Draco in the ribs, making him spill pumpkin juice on his robes. "None of this would've happened if you weren't a prick."</p><p>Draco shrugged nonchalantly, more focused on cleaning his robes with Pansy's help.</p><p>"So what happened next?" Daphne asked in rapture. Keziah smiled cockily, about to carry on with her story when Harry approached the table.</p><p>"So, you're still here are you?" Draco snapped nastily.</p><p>Not now, Draco," Keziah said sharply. Harry swallowed, fidgeting with his collar.</p><p>"Could I speak to you?" Harry mumbled, looking down.</p><p>"Sure," she shrugged, standing up, ignoring Harry's hand. Daphne stood up too, glaring at a mildly bewildered Harry. Keziah shook her off and followed her brother to a corner of the hall.</p><p>"What is it, Harry? Come to accuse me of some sort of betrayal?" Keziah asked, making to move away. Harry stopped her.</p><p>"Wait, I– Keziah, I was being stupi–"</p><p>Keziah stared at Harry. He looked so nervous and clearly on the edge of a speech. She rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug.</p><p>"–I wasn– mmph!"</p><p>"I forgive you," Keziah said shortly, releasing Harry from her semi-headlock.</p><p>"Seriously?" Harry asked. Keziah smiled and punched his arm gently.</p><p>"Course," she said. "You're my brother, right?"</p><p>She punched him again, hard. He yelped, rubbing his arm.</p><p>"Now if you ever act like an arse again, there'll be more where that came from," she laughed. Harry smiled weakly for a few seconds.</p><p>"By the way, thanks a lot," he said quickly, sobering up. "For distracting Filch. Did you get in trouble?"</p><p>"Trouble? Pssh, nah. I messed with him for a bit and bolted. What happened to you guys?" Keziah asked casually. She knew exactly what had happened but that was irrelevant.</p><p>Harry's eyes widened and he pulled her further from the crowd.</p><p>"That reminds me," he said, lowering his voice dramatically. "You know the third-floor corridor?"</p><p>Keziah nodded slowly.</p><p>"There's a three-headed dog in there. It's protecting a trapdoor," Harry said urgently. Keziah pretended to be shocked.</p><p>"What? Is that even allowed in school?" she whisper-yelled. Harry shrugged.</p><p>"Ron and I think it's protecting that package Hagrid picked up,"</p><p>"Why would you think that?"</p><p>Realising that Keziah had been kept majoritively 'in the dark' about most of his sleuthing, Harry used the rest of the morning to recount everything that had happened, including his new status as a seeker.</p><p>
  <strong>* </strong>
</p><p>After the first time Keziah studied with Hermione, it became pretty much a weekly thing. Always after lunch and never on a Thursday, since Hermione was always tetchy before flying lessons. She still hadn't let that whole thing with Harry and the broomstick go.</p><p>Keziah wrestled with her books, trying to fit them all into her frustratingly tiny satchel. As usual, Pansy and Millicent sneered at her from across the room, though they refrained from any commenting. Keziah had gladly showcased her mastery of the tickle jinx as soon as they'd opened their mouths.</p><p>"You going to see Granger again?" Daphne asked, looking up from her Teen Witch magazine. Keziah was sure the girl was obsessed with them. Currently, Daphne was brushing her fingers over a photo of a discount pack of hair potions, lamenting about her lack of pocket money.</p><p>Keziah smiled, shouldering the bag stuffed-to-burst and made her way over to the door. She hadn't seen Theodore or Blaise but she marked that down to them staying back after Herbology to talk with Sprout.</p><p>She got up to the library with no problem, apart from being challenged to a duel by a tiny yet rambunctious knight. Keziah had shut him up by shooting red sparks at his figure and watching him sink to his knees in defeat.</p><p>By the time she slumped into her seat by the window, Hermione had everything set out and had started on one of her essays. She opened her mouth but Keziah stopped her, breathing heavily. Two months in this castle and she still hadn't gotten used to the number of stairs. No wonder Hogwarts didn't offer any other physical activities.</p><p>"What are we doing today, again?" Hermione asked, rifling through her stacks of parchments. Keziah frowned, looking at the small sheet of paper she kept on her person at all times.</p><p>"Charms, I think," Keziah said, pulling out her wand. "We were practising the levitation charm and I want to get it right."</p><p>"The levitation charm?" Hermione asked, pulling out a sheet of parchment from her bag. Keziah raised her eyebrows but didn't comment. "We're practising that tomorrow! I can get an early start!"</p><p>Before Keziah could say another word, Hermione tore off a fragment of parchment and placed it delicately on the tabletop. She glanced at her parchment sheet, cleared her throat and uttered the spell, swishing and flicking her wand.</p><p>Keziah was only mildly surprised when the parchment lifted immediately, floating around five centimetres in the air before floating gently back down. Hermione smiled, pleased with herself.</p><p>"Are we just going to watch you show off this entire time or will you help me?" Keziah asked dryly. Hermione looked at her, almost like she'd forgotten Keziah was sitting there.</p><p>"Oh! Of course," she said quickly. "Let's see you do it?"</p><p>Keziah looked down at the piece of parchment and bit her lip, all the confidence blowing out of her. It was easy to cast spells in the safety of the chaotic Charms class, where she was paired with Goyle, who was so terrible that a niffler could've done better. However, sitting in the quiet library, across from Hermione <em>bloody</em> Granger, it was a bit harder.</p><p>"Wingard–"</p><p>Hermione immediately cut her off, shaking her head and waving her hands.</p><p>"No no no no no," she said, grabbing Keziah's wand and pulling it down. "You're doing it completely wrong!"</p><p>Keziah scowled, trying hard not to get angry. "How am I supposed to do it?"</p><p>"Just swish and flick! Oh, also, make the <em>gar</em> long and nice," Hermione said brightly. Keziah smiled back, albeit a little tightly.</p><p>"Win-<em>gar</em>-dium Levi-<em>o</em>-sa!" Keziah said more confidently, swishing and flicking her wand in an identical movement to Hermione's. The parchment shot up into the air like a misfired rubber band, hitting the ceiling and falling back down just as quickly. Keziah huffed, throwing her and down on the table, followed by her face.</p><p>"I'm sure you'll get it eventually," Hermione said, patting her head awkwardly. Keziah sat up, unamused.</p><p>"I'm not a cat, Granger."</p><p>"I never said that you were,"</p><p>"I just don't get it!" Keziah said dismally, playing with a tiny splinter hanging off her wand. "I'm good at Transfiguration and Potions but pants at everything else."</p><p>It was true. Ever since her first week, Keziah had gotten better and better at both subjects, to the amusement of McGonagall and the complete disdain of Snape. Potion-making reminded Keziah of baking, a skill she'd excelled in back home. Transfiguration came as easily as walking. As long as she didn't focus too hard on it, she didn't get out of balance.</p><p>So why was she so terrible at everything else? Why did her charms flop? Why did every plant she touched shy away? Keziah was good at memorising, but that wasn't skill or talent, it was reading a book and retaining it. Keziah groaned, beating the table with her fist.</p><p>"Don't worry, Keziah. You'll get it," Hermione said, breaking the silence. Keziah moved her face so she was looking up at the other girl.</p><p>"Easy for you to say," she spat. Hermione frowned, which made Keziah soften.</p><p>"I–" Keziah started but Hermione had turned away, straightening her papers and selecting one.</p><p>"Let's get on with our work," she said quietly. Keziah flushed but turned back to her pathetically empty Defense essay. The title, Origins of Defensive Spells, was scrawled at the top, an inkblot splattered where her quill had split.</p><p>She hated quills.</p><p>As the quiet afternoon bled into early evening, Keziah's essay slowly but surely filled with information. It was messy and full of rambling but knowing Quirrel, Keziah guessed it would earn her a pass. Speaking of Quirrel, Keziah glanced over at the calendar haphazardly pinned to the library bulletin board. It was covered in scribbles and poison-green ink. It would be Halloween in two days, she realised with a start.</p><p>Hogwarts had been so chaotic and thrilling that her mission to thwart Quirrel had pretty much taken a back seat. However, Halloween provided an opening to at least get some proof that the pseudo-Horcrux was up to no good. The only thing standing in her way, Keziah thought back to the books, was–</p><p>Snape.</p><p>Keziah groaned, letting her head slam into the table for the second time that day. Why couldn't things be easy and she could just whip the stupid turban off of Quirrel's stupid head, like in those old Scooby-Doo cartoons?</p><p>*</p><p>In the next two days, Hogwarts descended into a Halloween-themed frenzy. Hagrid's garden was booming with gigantic pumpkins the size of his head. Daphne had taken to wearing stripey orange stockings and garish purple earrings which hurt the eyes of everyone in her vicinity. Not Keziah, Theodore or Blaise had the heart to tell the girl how bad her fashion sense was.</p><p>Even the gloomy portrait of Salazar Slytherin, which usually just glared at the students through a pair of bushy eyebrows, had gotten into the spirit by yelling boo at the most inconvenient times. The worst time he'd done it was during a rather dramatic breakup between a pair of fifth-years. It had left the Slytherin first-years cackling until Lily Moon had admonished them all.</p><p>On Halloween morning, the castle woke up to the fresh smells of pumpkin wafting through the corridors. That morning, Blaise received a large parcel of sweets from his mother's boyfriend.</p><p>"Trying to win me over," he grumbled, passing around several butterbeer flavoured toffees. Theodore frowned slightly, as though he was about to speak but then he thought better of it.</p><p>Keziah sucked on her toffee as she watched the staff. Dumbledore was wearing bright green robes with black webbing, a testament to the holiday. Most other staff members looked the same as usual, except for Snape and Quirrel. The pseudo-Horcrux looked more nervous than usual, fidgeting endlessly with his turban. Snape, on the other hand, looked even dourer than Keziah would've guessed was humanly possible. He stared at his plate as though it had personally offended him.</p><p>She wondered why that was until she saw Harry across the hall, rubbing his forehead lightly. Today was the tenth anniversary of Lily and James Potter's deaths. Keziah gasped, hitting her head. It wasn't just Quirrel she needed to stop. Peter Pettigrew was in the castle right now! Sirius Black was in Azkaban and Remus Lupin was awol.</p><p>More things she needed to change while not seeming as crazy as Trelawney, she thought, realising unpleasantly that the toffee had gone oddly sour in her mouth.</p><p>*</p><p>Their classes that day were quite enjoyable. McGonagall walked into class with a large box of small objects, from golf balls to tiny jewels. Demonstrating the spell on Millicent's pencil case, the class watched it morph into a regal-looking raven. The professor quickly instructed the class to do the same.</p><p>The classroom quickly became an aviary, loud and full of different coloured birds. Keziah earned herself twenty points for Slytherin when she turned her bright green raven into a sleek black one. Draco threw a massive fit over it and nearly torched his bird.</p><p>As they all exited the class, a flurry of brown hair rushed past them with a red and gold scarf. Whoever it was rounded the corner, crying.</p><p>"What was that about?" Blaise muttered, smirking. The rest of the group laughed but Keziah stayed quiet. She had a hunch about who exactly had just run past.</p><p>Even Defense wasn't too bad, only Keziah could barely concentrate apart from death-glaring Quirrel. Through some sick irony, he'd decided to cover trolls today and Keziah saw the subtle glint in his eye as he talked. <em>Bastard</em>.</p><p>So the teachers could all get ready for the feast, flying was cancelled that day and the students were sent right down to their common rooms until the feast. Daphne and Keziah immediately claimed an armchair by the fire, both small enough to share. The boys had decided to take the dramatic route and now Blaise was lying draped against a very annoyed Theodore's lap.</p><p>"Who do you think was crying earlier?" Daphne asked curiously. Keziah didn't answer right away, busy chewing on a sugar quill that she'd stolen from Theodore.</p><p>"I reckon it's one of those Gryffin–," Blaise had begun to answer but was swiftly cut off by Theodore shoving him onto the floor, where he lay crumpled in a heap. "Rude."</p><p>They all burst into giggles, the plights of crying Gryffindors forgotten in the light of laughing at Blaise.</p><p>The laughing died down when Esmerelda Fawley approached them, stiff and sour, demanding they smarten up (and shut up) because the feast was about to begin. Keziah tried to calm down her erratic heart rate but the prospect of confronting Quirrel, a three-headed dog and possibly Snape was almost too much.</p><p>Keziah barely paid attention to a story Theodore was retelling in hushed tones as they entered the Great Hall, bathed in the flickering candlelight. Her jaw dropped.</p><p>A thousand live bats crowded around the ceiling and walls in black clumps, their wings making the candles stutter. Several of the birds they'd conjured that morning were sitting on various perches. Keziah noted, with a skip of a heartbeat, that Quirrel was nowhere to be seen. Her nails painfully dug into her skin.</p><p>On a normal day, the food in front of her would have set Keziah drooling but the anxiety settling in her stomach had washed it all away.</p><p>She slipped a knife into her robes. It was decently sharp and would work much better as a weapon than a wand, which at worst, could cast a jelly-legs jinx or perhaps a <em>Petrificus Totalus </em>that lasted thirty seconds.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Daphne murmured around a mouthful of mashed potatoes and carrots. Keziah smiled tightly but didn't give any comment. She spotted a small glass bowl filled to the brim with jellybeans and shoved a handful into her mouth to evade Daphne's further questioning.</p><p>Just as she swallowed the last one, Quirrel burst into the room, pale as paper, his turban askew. Keziah bit her lip, panic and determination swirling around like miniature whirlpools.</p><p>He sprinted up to the staff table and collapsed dramatically against it. Keziah stifled a laugh. </p><p>"Troll in the dungeons– thought you ought to know!" he gasped, slumping to the floor in a dead faint. </p><p>There was instant uproar, with screaming and people getting up to scope for siblings. Keziah scowled at the ruckus, having to stand up just to see Quirrel. She only sank to her seat when a purple firecracker exploded above her head.</p><p>"Silence!" Dumbledore bellowed. "Prefects, lead your houses back to their dormitories immediately!"</p><p>"Aren't we–" Daphne gasped worriedly "–in the dungeons?"</p><p>"Calm down, Daphne," Theodore said blithely, "probably just a big ugly prank. Quirrel gets scared of his own shadow."</p><p>He paused to take a bite out of his steak, the first one he'd had that evening.</p><p>"He must've seen one of the ghosts or something and got so scared he jumped to a conclusion."</p><p>Daphne still looked chilled to the bone, even as Esmerelda led them all away with the help of her partner, a stocky boy by the name of <em>Everton</em>. Keziah stalled, looking back at the unconscious Quirrel. She hovered by the door frame, then leapt behind a suit of armour, small enough to go unnoticed. The hall emptied until it was just Quirrel and Snape remaining. </p><p>Keziah's brows were knitted tightly, stuck behind a suit of armour as she watched Snape approach the other man.</p><p>"We both know you aren't asleep," Snape hissed, his voice carrying all over the hall. Quirrel's body twitched but stayed relatively still. Keziah tried to lean forward, so she could see more of what was going on but there was simply no room.</p><p>She moved just an inch too far and the suit's arm came clattering down. Keziah swore quietly and dived behind a column, just as Snape approached the fallen armour. Behind him, Quirrel stood up and snuck out of the hall. Keziah quickly followed, thanking the heavens for her quiet shoes. </p><p>Quirrel dove in and out of the throng of students circling the stairways but Keziah rapidly followed, nearly knocking into a Ravenclaw prefect at one point. She grabbed the knife from her robes, her hands quivering slightly. </p><p>They made it up to the third floor and Quirrel was none the wiser. Keziah stumbled forward, realising a bit too late that she hadn't planned on what to do after she followed Quirrel.</p><p>Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, the interaction never came to be. Snape had arrived, thundering down the corridor with his robes billowing behind him. Keziah hid the knife instantly but didn't manage to hide. Quirrel disappeared through the doorway when Snape reached her. </p><p>"What do you think you're doing?" Snape asked in a dangerously soft voice. Keziah gulped.</p><p>"Well..."</p><p>"Stay here," Snape snarled, looking towards the door to the corridor and back to her. She nodded earnestly, watching as he disappeared.</p><p>"That could have gone better," Keziah murmured, dragging a hand over her face in annoyance. </p><p>"You're telling me," a voice said behind her. She whirled around to face a portrait of a bored-looking witch with fluffy white hair and pale eyes. The witch didn't say anything else but eyed Keziah suspiciously.</p><p>She felt like she was standing there for an eternity until Snape exited the corridor, assisted by a worried-looking Quirrel, his robes pulled up to reveal a gruesome bite mark. Keziah stood up straight, her hackles raised. </p><p>"Oh, M-Miss Potter! Wha- what are you d-doing here, ex-exactly?" he stammered. Keziah stayed silent, still staring at the wound with rising sickness.</p><p>"How did that happen?" Keziah asked sharply, looking Quirrel right in the eyes. He flushed slightly.</p><p>"N-none of your con-concern, Miss Potter. S-Severus ju-just got into, into a sm-small accident," Quirrel said quickly. "You sh-should get b-back to your c-common r-room. T-t-troll on the loose, as they say?"</p><p>Keziah didn't move.</p><p>"I know what you're doing," she whispered darkly. "Just, don't hurt him. Or I'm telling Dumbledore with, or without, proof."</p><p>Quirrel's face darkened into an almost wolfish glare but Keziah had already dashed down the corridor, cutting through the History of Magic department to get to the dungeons.</p><p>Her heart was pounding so hard that she suspected it would jump right out of her chest. She didn't doubt that she might've been killed back there. Knocking out Snape and putting the blame on an innocent three-headed dog wouldn't be hard.</p><p>She didn't stop moving until she'd choked out the password (Toujours Pur) and collapsed into one of the seats in the common room. Her ears were ringing loudly and bile was circling somewhere around her lungs. Keziah was so wrapped up in her fear that she didn't even notice Daphne waving a hand in front of her face until a plate of food was shoved roughly onto her lap, along with a bowl of ice cream.</p><p>"You okay?" Blaise asked, kneeling so she was forced to look at him. "Where were you?"</p><p>"Doesn't matter," Keziah forced out, breathing in deeply to calm down. <em>She wasn't dead. She wasn't dead. She wasn't dead.</em></p><p>"Are you sure you're okay?" </p><p>"I'M–" Keziah stopped and took another breath. Her friends hadn't done anything wrong. "I'm fine, thanks for asking."</p><p>The worried looks still hadn't moved from their faces so Keziah scooped up a handful of peas and launched them, watching the small green vegetable hit her friends' faces and land mushed on the floor. </p><p>"Can we just eat?" she asked weakly, starting on a piece of chicken, although it tasted more like cardboard.</p><p>Daphne glanced at Theodore one last time and nodded, giving Keziah a one-armed hug and settling down on the armrest, eating a pumpkin pasty. Keziah didn't speak for the rest of the evening, preferring to watch Theodore and Blaise goof off while she tried not to have a severe internal breakdown.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Halloween, the cold swept in with alarming speeds. Cotton robes were swapped out for wool and thick cloaks shrouded the hallways. No matter how many heating charms were cast, or how powerful the crackling fires got, you couldn't deny the frost creeping up the dungeon walls.</p><p>"It's ridiculous," Daphne huffed as they walked down from Astronomy, lumped together to conserve heat. "I could barely touch my telescope."</p><p>"I hear you," Blaise moaned, trying to rub some feeling back into his stiff fingers. They were still slightly curled from being stuck to the telescope. Draco shoved past them, waving around his thick rabbit-fur gloves.</p><p>"Bloody git," Keziah spat out, her own hands curled into fists and buried in her scarf. She thanked her thick hair for keeping her ears shielded from the cruel wind that had battered the tower. </p><p>"Thinks he can walk around like that," Daphne snarled in agreement. "Once I'm good enough, I'm going to hex him so bad he won't be able to think straight."</p><p>"Oooh, keep it PG, Daph," Blaise snickered only to be shoved into the wall, nearly faceplanting into a portrait.</p><p>"Shut your mouth, Zabini."</p><p>"GUYS!" Theodore said sharply, his voice muffled by his scarf. The other three stopped, looking a bit ashamed.</p><p>"Plus," he continued, "it's not even that bad."</p><p>"Says the one wrapped up in three layers," Keziah snorted, snatching Theodore's hat. His thin hair stuck up unevenly so he mildly resembled a hedgehog.</p><p>"Shut up," Theodore snapped, jerking his hat back and cramming it on his head. "I live in Edinburgh so I'm used to all this. Doesn't mean I enjoy it."</p><p>"You live in Edinburgh?" Daphne asked curiously.</p><p>"Yep. I took the train this year, because, you know, tradition. But, next year, I'm having my father drop me off at the station,"</p><p>"Is that even allowed?" Keziah asked.</p><p>"Dunno. But I'd like to see you try to say no to my father."</p><p>"I bet Draco would," Blaise snorted. "<em>My father will hear about this!</em>"</p><p>His voice had risen several octaves higher, taking on Draco's whiny pitch as he continued mocking the boy. The group burst into raucous laughter which bounced off the dark walls.</p><p>"Will you QUIETEN down!" a portrait shrieked, waving around their sleeping cap. Keziah stared at it, trying to regain control of her breath.</p><p>"Excuse me?" she wheezed, still giggling. The portrait scowled, shaking their fist at her.</p><p>"It is past midnight, young lady!" it admonished. "You have no respect for portraits! I should call for Filch, I should."</p><p>"Portraits don't need sleep," Daphne piped up, pushing her head onto Keziah's shoulder so she faced the portrait. It blushed.</p><p>"That," it stammered. "That's not the point!"</p><p>"We should go," Theodore pulled the girls away gently. "I don't think Flitwick would be happy if we overslept."</p><p>Daphne nodded, giving the portrait the stink-eye before turning away. </p><p>"I still think we should hex Draco off his high horse," she muttered.</p><p>*</p><p>For the next few days, the school was taken over by Quidditch fever. Keziah would be sick of it if not for Harry's first game coming up. He hadn't spoken to her since before Halloween but Keziah put that down to his stresses. Even Hermione hadn't shown up to their regular study session, leaving Keziah to revise Defense Against the Dark Arts alone. </p><p>Not that she wanted to do the work, but the thought of detention with Quirrel made Keziah want to vomit. She still froze every time the man looked in her direction, the memory of Halloween filling her mind. Time was running out but Keziah still had no clue how she was going to stop Quirrel from trying to murder Harry. Or how she would even convince Hary and the others to focus on Quirrel instead of Snape. </p><p>"Are you okay?" </p><p>Keziah bolted up. Her cheek was half-stuck to the book beneath her, the page peeling off as her eyes adjusted to the library atmosphere. So apparently only sleeping for a few hours every day had consequences. Go figure.</p><p>"Are you alright?" the voice spoke again, poking her gently.</p><p>Keziah turned over, looking up to see a boy leaning over her, something large and grey pressed to his chest. </p><p>"Who are you?" she asked, stifling a yawn.</p><p>"It's me," he said unhelpfully. "Dean Thomas? We met during the sorting."</p><p>Keziah rubbed her eyes, sitting up properly to focus on Dean.</p><p>"Oh, hi," she said, wincing at her hair poofing up chaotically. "What's up?"</p><p>"I saw you sleeping over your work," Dean explained. "Are you alright?"</p><p>"M' fine," Keziah brushed him off. "I have work to do."</p><p>She smoothed down her hair and looked back to her essay. The ink was slightly smudged, the imprint of her cheek smushed against the words. Groaning, she touched her cheek. Unsurprisingly, as she drew away, her fingers were covered in ink.</p><p>"You don't look alright," Dean said gently, drawing a chair and settling down next to her.</p><p>He set down the grey thing, which Keziah realised was a sketchbook. The cover was decorated by a painted sunset over a mountain valley</p><p>"That looks beautiful," she whispered, brushing her fingers over the grooves in the paint.</p><p>Dean smiled, looking away in embarrassment. </p><p>"My mum painted that as a going-away present," he said, sounding wistful. </p><p>"Can I look through it?" </p><p>"What about your work?"</p><p>"I can do it later," Keziah said carelessly, blissfully ignoring the fact she still had Potions and Herbology work to complete. </p><p>Dean hesitantly handed the book over.</p><p>"Mind you," he said quickly, "the drawings aren't that good. Mostly just sketches."</p><p>Keziah grinned as she flipped through the book. Despite most of the drawings being hastily done in blotchy charcoal, they looked alive. She saw a sketch of the Gryffindor common room, with Seamus Finnigan sitting on a poufy armchair. Keziah also saw a completely coloured artwork of a woman with a bright headwrap and a big smile. She looked like Dean.</p><p>"Is that your mum?" Keziah asked, pointing her out.</p><p>"Yeah," Dean admitted, smiling slightly. "She's an art teacher at a university back in Manchester. She taught me everything I know."</p><p>"She sounds cool,"</p><p>"She is."</p><p>Keziah turned the page to reveal a rough sketch of a lion, its maw open in a fearsome roar. </p><p>"What's this for?" </p><p>"It's for Harry's Quidditch match," he explained. "We're all getting together to do something special for Harry. As a surprise."</p><p>Keziah's heart melted and she couldn't help but hug Dean, much to his surprise. When she let go, he looked shell-shocked.</p><p>"What was that for?"</p><p>"For doing something so nice for Harry," she said simply. </p><p>"He's going to love it. I just wish I could do something good for him. All I do is mess up, ever since I got sorted into Slytherin!"</p><p>Keziah grumbled dramatically, face-planting onto the desk in a startling feeling of deja-vu. </p><p>"You could help us make the banner," Dean offered. "And you can cheer for him. From the Gryffindor stands?"</p><p>"Are you sure you lot aren't allergic to Slytherins?" Keziah joked.</p><p>"Only the mean ones, like Malfoy," Dean assured with a smirk. "You're cool."</p><p>"I feel so honoured," Keziah laughed. Dean gave a small mock-bow which made her laugh harder. </p><p>"You feeling better now?"</p><p>"Is that what all this was?" Keziah looked at the boy in surprise. "Did you just talk to me because you felt sorry?"</p><p>"Not completely."</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" </p><p>She was getting annoyed. Keziah had been having fun but now Dean had descended into riddles and she had zero clues what was going on.</p><p>"Nothing." </p><p>Dean looked extremely embarrassed now while Keziah was extremely confused. Why was he embarrassed after she asked a simple question?</p><p>"Are you feeling alright, Dean?"</p><p>"I have to go," he mumbled, grabbing his sketchbook. "Seamus is calling me. See you on Saturday."</p><p>Without another word, Dean dashed through the shelves, leaving Keziah sat at her desk in confusion. Shrugging slightly, she turned back to her essay. Her interaction with the boy had made her feel better after all, despite how weird he had been at the end.</p><p>*</p><p>Saturday morning rolled around very bright and very cold. The common room was so cold that breaths came out in little puffs of steam. Keziah's robes were stained with paint from helping Dean paint the lion the day before but she covered it with her cloak.</p><p>She and Daphne were greeted with the delicious smell of fried sausages as they entered the Great Hall that morning, along with the excited chatter of everyone looking forward to the first Quidditch match of the year.</p><p>"Is this all our school cares about?" Daphne groaned, interrupting Theodore and Blaise's bets on the upcoming match.</p><p>"Pretty much," Blaise shrugged with a smirk. </p><p>Keziah wasn't concentrating on her friends' banter though. She was staring at Harry from across the hall. He looked sick, as his friends all talked around him, piling food onto his plate. She took a deep breath.</p><p>"I'll be right back," she announced, grabbing her plate and making her way through the hall. Several people were giving her the side-eye, as well as a few whispers but that didn't concern her. </p><p>"Keziah!" Hermione called out in surprise, noticing her first. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Move over, will you?" Keziah said, shoving Seamus so she could sit down. The Irish boy scowled at her, flicking her head. </p><p>"Are you sure you're allowed to be sitting here?" Harry asked tightly. </p><p>"Let's see them try and stop me," Keziah answered cockily, stealing a sausage from Harry's plate. "Aren't you going to eat?"</p><p>"I'm not hungry," he muttered.</p><p>"Bullshit," she snapped, loading Harry's plate with a few slices of dry toast. "You're not leaving this table until you eat something. I'm not scraping you off the ground because you fainted out of hunger!"</p><p>"Plus seekers are most likely to be nobbled in a game," Seamus added unhelpfully, drenching his sausages in ketchup. Keziah made a face before turning back to Harry.</p><p>By the time Daphne, Theodore and Blaise dragged her away, Keziah had forced Harry to eat his toast, which was a win. They were all dressed head to toe in green, with Blaise having two green streaks painted on his cheekbones.</p><p>"By the way, who are you supporting?" Daphne spoke up as the group walked towards the Quidditch pitch. Blaise and Theodore had rushed ahead, too excited to wait.</p><p>"Gryffindor," Keziah said instantly. Daphne looked at her strangely but didn't say anything else, switching the conversation to what brooms the players would be using.</p><p>"Potter, there you are!" </p><p>Draco appeared suddenly at Keziah's shoulder, his grey eyes glinting in a way that made Keziah nervous.</p><p>"What is it, Draco?" she asked sharply. "Please don't tell me you're here to trash-talk Harry because I will hex you so hard—"</p><p>"No, no, no, no," Draco said quickly, shielding his face. "I just want to know that you're supporting Slytherin, eh? Just because your brother is in Gryffindor doesn't mean you switch loyalties."</p><p>Keziah wanted to punch Draco's pompous face at that moment but she didn't fancy detention at the moment so she settled with the mental imagery.</p><p>"Potter—"</p><p>"I'm supporting Harry, obviously," she shrugged. "Slytherin has plenty of opportunities to win but I want Harry to enjoy his first match."</p><p>"Are you sure you're his sister and not his mother, Potter?" Draco snorted, disappearing into the crowd with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. </p><p>Keziah stood still for a second, fuming. Then Daphne tapped her on the shoulder, leading her to the stands.</p><p>"C'mon, I think the boys are going to explode if we keep them waiting any longer," she laughed, pointing at Theodore and Blaise.</p><p>Keziah hesitated, glancing at Dean and the other Gryffindors, waving around the banner, made from Ron's old bedsheets. She wanted to support Harry but she also wanted to have fun with her friends.</p><p>"Keziah, I'm not getting any younger here..." </p><p>"What?" Keziah jolted up to face her friend. "Sorry, Daph. I got distracted. Let's go."</p><p>They made their way through the crowds with a lot of elbowing and apologies. Along the way, Keziah saw several bets being placed around Harry's performance.</p><p>"Do you dare me to bet on him?" she asked Daphne with a smirk.</p><p>"Are you mad," her friend whispered back, scandalised. "Betting? On your brother?"</p><p>"It'll be fun," Keziah shrugged, feeling for a coin in her robes. Daphne scowled and grabbed her hands.</p><p>"You are not betting on your brother," she said sternly, pulling Keziah over to the boys.</p><p>"Finally," Blaise said dramatically. "I thought I'd graduate before you guys got here!"</p><p>"At least then we wouldn't have to put up with you," Daphne laughed. </p><p>"Shut up guys, it's starting!" Theodore interrupted, half-hanging over the edge of the stands as he pointed at Madame Hooch.</p><p>Keziah, however, looked over at where the teachers stood. Quirrel was there, looking irritatingly innocent. He shouldn't be standing there, she thought furiously. He should be behind bars.</p><p>A sharp whistle cut through Keziah's thoughts, She startled, staring out at the pitch. </p><p>The teams had arrived, shooting out into the air. Green vs red, the lion versus serpent. </p><p>There was a flash of crimson as a Gryffindor girl snatched the Quaffle, darting soundly through the pitch. A boy was commentating, his narration paired with off-topic remarks that made Keziah smile. She scoured the pitch for Harry but couldn't see him among the throng of players.</p><p>Theodore and Blaise were hollering at the top of their lungs beside her, waving their scarves like flags. Keziah elbowed Blaise.</p><p>"I thought you didn't like brooms," she said with a smirk. Blaise grimaced, rolling his eyes.</p><p>"I don't like <em>being</em> on brooms," he explained. "Quidditch is awesome!"</p><p>"Shut up," Theodore snapped. "I can't hear what Jordan's saying."</p><p>The other two grinned wickedly but settled back down into watching the game.</p><p>"Slytherin in possession," the commentator, Jordan, said. "Chaser Pucey ducks two bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell and speeds towards the— wait a moment— is that the snitch?"</p><p>Daphne squealed in excitement, gripping Blaise's shoulder as she scanned the Quidditch pitch. It was like the game slowed down as the players stopped, craning their necks for even a flash of gold.</p><p>Keziah clapped her hands together as Harry appeared, zooming neck and neck with the Slytherin seeker, hands stretched out. </p><p>WHAM!</p><p>Keziah screamed in outrage, along with most of the Gryffindors. Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain, blocked Harry, sending his spiralling away hanging onto his broom for dear life.</p><p>"You—," her curse was cut off by Daphne slapping a hand over Keziah's mouth.</p><p>"Language," she hissed. </p><p>Keziah rolled her eyes, her attention was drawn back to the game. Thankfully, Harry was alright. However, as he dodged a bludger which spun dangerously close to his head, his broom lurched. Keziah's stomach dropped and she gasped sharply.</p><p>"What is it?" Daphne asked, her grey eyes wide with worry.</p><p>"Harry—" Keziah started, pointing shakily at her brother's broom, which was twitching and jerking all over the place.</p><p>"Is he alright?" Daphne exclaimed. "Brooms aren't supposed to do that."</p><p>"No shit sherlock," Keziah muttered irritably as she scoped the stands for Quirrel.</p><p>The man (pseudo-Horcrux, really) was standing inconspicuously near the lower stairs. His expression was contorted into controlled hatred, his hands moving subtly to follow Harry's broom's movements. Quirrel barely even blinked, so focused on his curse.</p><p>Keziah bit her lip in hesitation. She wanted to confront him, to curse him and stop him, but the memory of Halloween was enough to send her spiralling away. What happened if she died here? Would she never get to go home? There was so much at stake yet whoever had put her here didn't mention anything that mattered.</p><p>Was she a coward for not doing anything, not saying anything? These problems would be solved anyway but <em>she</em> had been put there to make sure things didn't get too bad! All that would go to waste if she was going to be too scared to even help Harry.</p><p>What should she do? What should she do? What should she—</p><p>"Gryffindor wins! One hundred and seventy to sixty!" Jordan screamed excitedly, the Gryffindors erupting into cheers that rattled Keziah out of her thoughts. </p><p>There was a collective groan from the Slytherins as they all sagged in defeat. Daphne just shrugged, already trying to find a way out.</p><p>"There should be a rule," Theodore was saying solemnly to Blaise, "that you can't bloody swallow the snitch!"</p><p>"Here here," Blaise agreed with a shake of his head. They both disappeared through the crowd and suddenly Keziah was standing all alone, her ears ringing.</p><p>She only jolted out of it when she spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione uniting down on the pitch. Keziah physically shook herself and rushed down to the grass, pushing back any emotions.</p><p>"Harry!" she cried excitedly. "You were amazing!"</p><p>Keziah nearly bowled them both over as she hugged her brother tightly.</p><p>"Keziah, can you let—"</p><p>"I saw what happened with your broom," Keziah started talking like a steam train. This was her only opportunity to tell the other three what had happened.</p><p>"It was Quirrel, he was cursing it. I saw him down at the stands. He looked so angry, Harry and his hands were moving in the same direction as your broom."</p><p>"That's ridiculous," Hermione snorted, butting it. "Why would Quirrel do anything like that?"</p><p>She turned to Harry urgently.</p><p>"Harry, it was Snape. Ron and I saw him properly. He didn't break eye contact once! I've read about jinxes and—"</p><p>"No!" Keziah insisted sharply. Hermione looked surprised that Keziah had interrupted her. "It was Quirrel, I swear by Salazar!"</p><p>"How do you even know that it was Quirrel?" Hermione asked. Keziah groaned in annoyance.</p><p>"Were you not listening? I saw him jinxing Harry!"</p><p>"And we saw Snape."</p><p>"No offence Keziah," Harry butted in quietly, as though scared of getting jinxed by either girl. "But Snape seems like a way more logical option."</p><p>The three glanced at each other, as though considering whether or not to let Keziah in on a secret. She silently fumed.</p><p>"And... and we saw something. At Hallowe'en, he tried to get past the three-headed dog but it bit him. We think he's trying to steal whatever it's guarding."</p><p>"I know," Keziah snapped, much to the Gryffindors' surprise.</p><p>"Then why do you think it's Quirrel?" Ron asked.</p><p>"I followed them, on Halloween. I saw Quirrel sneak out to the third-floor and I followed him. By the time I got there, Quirrel was leaving. He was carrying Snape away but when I saw him..."</p><p>Keziah took a shuddering breath, cool air filling her system.</p><p>"He would've killed me, Harry. The look he gave me— Merlin, thriller movies could be made around it," she whispered. There was an eerie silence after she had finished.</p><p>"What's a movie, Hermione?" Ron whispered to Hermione in confusion. He was elbowed silent.</p><p>"Look, Keziah," Harry said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "How about we say Snape and Quirrel are working together? We're going to Hagrid's and we'll ask him about Snape and Quirrel and whatever the dog's guarding. Is that okay?"</p><p>"Sure, whatever," Keziah muttered, half-heartedly giving the trio a thumbs-up. They were still staring at her as though talking to a confused child who had just woken up from a nightmare. It made her extremely annoyed. But, she didn't want to fight anymore so she just agreed.</p><p>There were a ton of other ways to get through to stubborn eleven-year-olds, after all.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The holiday season had arrived in a flurry of snow. Although Keziah hadn't been able to light a proper menorah, she'd managed with lighting normal candles for each of the eight days. It was almost adorable how confused Daphne had gotten when Keziah explained the tradition.</p><p>However, now that that was over, Keziah was faced with something infinitely more challenging. As a child, her family had always celebrated Christmas on top of Hanukkah, mostly because her brother Daniel insisted after watching films. Keziah had always been amazing at gift-giving but it was a tad harder when you didn't have the help of Google and next-day delivery.</p><p>She stuffed a gift catalogue into her satchel as Snape opened the door to the Potions classroom. He looked as miserable as usual as he told off two girls for humming.</p><p>The Potions classroom was freezing, with breaths forming puffs of mist. Daphne and Keziah rushed into their seats and hurriedly got the fires going. Snape didn't even let you keep your gloves on unless necessary so they had to salvage whatever heat they could get.</p><p>"What are you doing for the holidays?" Daphne whispered, making sure Snape wasn't in earshot. "I'm going to visit my great-grandparents in Poland! It's been two years since I've seen them!"</p><p>Keziah smiled.</p><p>"Lucky you! I'm stuck here. I'd rather wash Snape's hair than go back to the Dursleys," she spat, blushing when she realised what she had said. Keziah didn't like talking about the family of slugs when she was with her friends.</p><p>"Are they that bad?" Daphne asked in a harsh whisper. Keziah nodded, avoiding her friend's eye.</p><p>"Let's not talk about it," Keziah muttered uncomfortably, measuring out her powdered spine of lionfish to keep herself busy.</p><p>Across the room, Draco was running his mouth. Ever since Slytherin's defeat, he'd been unbearable, trying desperately to get everyone laughing about how a wide-mouthed tree frog would replace Harry as Seeker next.</p><p>"Let's put you on a bucking broom and we'll see how brave you are then," Keziah had laughed while jinxing Draco's legs together when he'd brought it up in the Common Room.</p><p>When that technique had failed, Draco had gone back to taunting Harry about having no family. Which meant, the ferret was inadvertently insulting Keziah too.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Daph, but I think we need more Horklump juice and Flobberworm mucus," she hissed through gritted teeth.</p><p>"Snape said if you add too much, the potion will explode in our faces, though," Daphne warned.</p><p>"Great."</p><p>Keziah rummaged through the store cupboard until she had enough of the two ingredients to royally screw up any potion. She walked by Draco casually, looking away as though she didn't know he was there.</p><p>Unfortunately, there was a loose stone jutting out of the floor. Keziah went flying and all her ingredients landed in Draco's cauldron. Gasping, she scrambled away from the potion which had started bubbling furiously. Since he was still crowing insults about Harry, Draco didn't notice until the potion blew up with the force of a firecracker and his robes, as well as his neck and chin, were covered in a poison-green, slimy substance.</p><p>"Draco," Keziah cried dramatically. "I'm so sorry! I just tripped!"</p><p>Her lips were trembling as she tried not to burst into laughter at the boy's face.</p><p>"Potter!" Snape thundered, marching over to the two. "What is the meaning of this?"</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Professor," Keziah stammered, still struggling not to succumb to mirth. "I tripped on this loose stone and it all went flying. I'll get Draco to the Hospital Wing immediately!"</p><p>Snape took a deep breath like he was genuinely considering murder.</p><p>"Detention, Potter. Tomorrow after dinner," he hissed, at last, magicking away the scorch marks left on the desk.</p><p>Keziah winked at Harry before she dragged Draco out the door. As soon as they had rounded the corridor, she burst into giggles.</p><p>"What's so funny," Draco growled.</p><p>"You look ridiculous," she snorted, watching Draco itch at the areas of exposed skin, which had erupted into a rash similar to stinging nettles.</p><p>"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Draco said shrilly.</p><p>"A gold star for Captain Obvious," Keziah rolled her eyes, drawing her wand just in case. "You were being a dick, so I just gave you your 'just desserts'."</p><p>"What does that even mean?"</p><p>"It's a muggle proverb — if you say anything purist I will shove your wand so far down your throat it comes through your arse," Keziah snarled.</p><p>Draco looked like he was about to open his mouth to object but then thought better of it. The rest of the trip to the Hospital Wing was spent in silence.</p><p>Keziah stopped Draco by the door just as he was about to enter.</p><p>"What the hell do you—"</p><p>Keziah cut him off with a deadly glare.</p><p>"Listen here, <em>Malfoy</em>, and listen closely because I will not be repeating myself," Keziah growled quietly. "I don't care how much money or influence your stupid father has, alright? But if you keep on insulting Harry and me, by the time I'm finished with you, you won't be able to talk."</p><p>Draco gaped at her, paler than usual. She didn't let him respond, quickly opening the door to the Hospital Wing and roughly shoving him inside.</p><p>"Toodles!" she warbled with a smirk.</p><p>By the time Keziah made it back down to the dungeons, the class was filing out. She saw Harry and Ron and she rushed over.</p><p>"Hi boys, what did you think of that?"</p><p>"I can't believe you made his cauldron explode," Ron laughed, offering up a high-five which Keziah gladly obliged.</p><p>"Nobody messes with my little brother," Keziah said gravely. She didn't know if she was older than Harry or if they were twins, but she'd find out.</p><p>"Please," Harry rolled his eyes fondly. "You're only ten months older than me."</p><p>"Exactly! So listen to your elders," Keziah grinned, patting Harry on the head. She still had her September birthday then.</p><p>Ron snorted, trying to cough back his laughter when a portrait gave them all a dirty glare.</p><p>"He'll understand when he's older," Keziah sighed, looking over at Ron who nodded seriously.</p><p>"You two suck," Harry muttered, though the effect was ruined by a smile.</p><p>By this time, they'd made their way up to the Entrance Hall. Cold winter sunlight streamed in, illuminating the whole place.</p><p>"Where are you two headed now?" she asked, jabbing her thumb towards the Great Hall. The smells of smoked haddock and potatoes were drifting up to them and Keziah was eager to start eating.</p><p>"The library," Ron said immediately. Harry looked down at his shoes.</p><p>"Why the library? I thought that was Hermione's thing?"</p><p>"Well," Harry began,</p><p>"<em>Hagrid-kind-of-said-that-Fluffy-is-guarding-something-and-it-has-to-do-with-some-guy-called-Nicholas-Flamel-so-we're-trying-to-find-out-who-that-is</em>."</p><p>He said it all in one breath, so fast that Keziah was shocked she was able to understand it at all. She stared at them both.</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me?"</p><p>"We saw how mad you were about Quirrel and us not believing you and we thought you wouldn't want to help..." Harry trailed off at the look on Keziah's face.</p><p>She couldn't believe that they thought she was so worked up about the Quirrel thing that she would refuse to help them!</p><p>"You dumb shit," Keziah laughed, bringing Harry into a hug as she ruffled his hair. Ron sighed in relief.</p><p>"Of course I want to help you guys!" she smiled. The boys both grinned in return as she let go of Harry.</p><p>"Do you want to come with us now?" Ron offered</p><p>"Sorry, guys," she said. "I didn't have breakfast today and whatever's for lunch smells good."</p><p>She shrugged her shoulders awkwardly. A distant part of her brain was very sure that she was forgetting something, but she pushed it aside for the moment.</p><p>"It's fine. You can join us tomorrow, right?"</p><p>"Oh definitely." Keziah nodded earnestly before rushing into the Great Hall.</p><p>She stopped in awe, her jaw dropped open. Clusters of holly and mistletoe were hung around the hall, including a clump of mistletoe that hung right above her friends. There were at least ten giant Christmas trees stationed around the hall, decorated more extravagantly than the one in Trafalgar Square.</p><p>She rushed over to her friends, who were so deep in conversation that they didn't notice. Keziah suddenly had an idea, her eyes springing up to the cluster of mistletoe hanging above them. <em>Screw it</em>. As Keziah settled down into her seat, she gave Daphne, Blaise and Theo quick kisses on their heads. They all whipped around in unison.</p><p>Theodore immediately grimaced, scrubbing the top of his head and glaring up at her.</p><p>"What the hell, Keziah?"</p><p>"Yeah, I know I'm irresistible but isn't this a bit forward?" Blaise joined in good-naturedly.</p><p>"Sorry," Keziah laughed in embarrassment. "Mistletoe."</p><p>"I'm flattered," Daphne giggled through a bite of garlic bread.</p><p>Keziah grinned back, settling down in her seat. She served herself and sighed as warmth spread through her body with the first mouthful.</p><p>"By the way, Keziah," Theodore spoke up, "what do you want for Christmas?"</p><p>Keziah blinked in surprise. She wasn't expecting to get presents from her friends.</p><p>"You don't need to get me anything," she said awkwardly.</p><p>"No seriously," he said. "My father just owled me asking what I wanted to get you guys for Christmas. I already asked Blaise and Daph."</p><p>"You can just get me anything," Keziah mumbled, blushing slightly.</p><p>Theodore shrugged, turning back to his food.</p><p>"You're going back to your mum's for Christmas, aren't you, Blaise?" Daphne asked.</p><p>"Unfortunately," Blaise grunted, running his fingers through his tight curls. "She wants me to get to know her new boyfriend. It doesn't matter. He'll be gone in a few months anyway, one way or another."</p><p>Keziah wanted to ask what that meant but from Blaise's face, it was time for a subject change.</p><p>"Do wizards have any good Christmas songs?"</p><p>*</p><p>As holidays started, Keziah found herself spending a lot more time in the Gryffindor common room. She was one of the only Slytherins staying behind for the holidays, apart from a few fifth-years. </p><p>No matter how much house pride Keziah had, she would always admit that the Gryffindor common room was much better. With fluffy carpets, a crackling fire and a lighter atmosphere, it was impossible not to feel merry. </p><p>Ron had decided to start teaching Harry and Keziah chess. It was rather like directing troops into battle, except the troops were sarcastic and all had differing opinions. </p><p>Keziah was also getting a lot of attention from Fred and George, who had swooped down on her the minute she'd stepped into the common room.</p><p>"Oh look, a rogue Slytherin," one of them laughed. </p><p>"You do look like us," the other mused, stroking an imaginary beard.</p><p>"Aren't you the one who blew up Malfoy's cauldron?" the first one asked, grinning.</p><p>Keziah nodded, biting her lip in embarrassment at their attention.</p><p>“And she stood up to Filch! Rember what Ron said, Freddie? You are like us!”</p><p>"Aye, she is," Fred agreed. "What was your name again, is?"</p><p>"Keziah," she said a bit awkwardly. </p><p>"Welcome to the family," George cackled. "Oi, Ron! You're sleeping on the couch from now on! Keziah can have your room!"</p><p>Ron looked up from where he was playing chess and sent a rude gesture.</p><p>"Bugger off," he yelled, turning back to his game. </p><p>"Actually," Fred said thoughtfully. "You can have Bill's old room. Then nobody has to move."</p><p>"Perfect idea, Fred," George said. "We are a pair of geniuses, aren't we?"</p><p>"That we are, Georgie," Fred nodded.</p><p>"You, you're not supposed to be here."</p><p>The fun was broken up when Percy appeared on the stairs. He looked thoroughly annoyed, though Keziah had never seen any other expression on his face.</p><p>"Leave her alone Percy," Ron snapped, putting down his chess figures again. "She doesn't have anybody else to spend time with."</p><p>Percy looked at her for a few minutes before his head snapped in Harry's direction. His eyes widened and Keziah saw him mouthing the word 'Potter'. </p><p>"Just keep it down!" he said sharply, disappearing back up the stairs.</p><p>"Sometimes I wonder how we're related," Fred said solemnly, letting go of Keziah's shoulders.</p><p>"Pleased to finally make your acquaintance, our Slytherin Weasley," George sing-songed, also disappearing back up the stairs.</p><p>"How come you're already adopted by them?" Harry smiled, joining her.</p><p>"Aren't you playing chess?"</p><p>"Ron beat me. Again," Harry groaned. Keziah ruffled his hair in sympathy.</p><p>"Oi, Ron," she said, walking over to the table. "Let me play."</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah woke up on Christmas morning in the Slytherin dorms. It was strangely lonely, being the only one sitting up in a giant four-poster bed, in complete silence. She missed her dorm mates, she thought, even Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode.</p><p>Her bad mood was rapidly abolished, however, by the stack of presents at the foot of her bed. It was a decent haul, Keziah thought in surprise. She picked up the top one and unwrapped it slowly. It was a necklace, she realised, with small wooden beads painted pretty colours.</p><p>‘To Keziah, From Hagrid,’ read the tag attached. Keziah smiled, silently blessing Hagrid. Then, she unwrapped one of the smaller gifts. It was a single penny, with a scrap of paper attached to it.</p><p>“Dursleys,” Keziah grunted in disgust, tossing away the coin. She watched as it rolled away and settled under Daphne’s bed.</p><p>The next package she picked up was quite large and squishy. She tore away the colourful paper excitedly and nearly screeched when she saw the soft wool underneath. As she unfolded the soft-as-hell jumper, two jars fell out onto her quilt. Ignoring them for the moment, Keziah marvelled at her very own Weasley jumper. It was Slytherin green, with a loopy snake done in silver and gold thread. She pulled it on with relish.</p><p>The jars, it turned out, were full of butterbeer-flavoured meringues, according to the labels. They were delicious. Her next three presents were also filled with sweets, from Blaise, Theodore and Hermione.</p><p>There were now two presents left. One was elegantly wrapped in silvery-blue wrapping, while the other was done haphazardly, in black paper. Keziah picked the rough one first. She managed to pull the paper away in one tug. It was a book and a small Victorian-style case with a gilded plaque that had her name on it.</p><p>“A Young Potioneer’s Guide to Greatness, by Hector Dagworth-Granger: Founder of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers,” she read aloud, smiling slightly. Keziah then opened the case. It was full of potions ingredients, all bottled neatly, as well as a small set of bronze scales and a pestle and mortar.</p><p>Keziah grinned so hard, she could feel tears brushing the edges of her eyes. She checked the box for a note but she found nothing. It was a pure mystery of whoever had left her the gift. Keziah wondered if the house-elves would have any clue.</p><p>Setting aside the Potions set, Keziah opened the final one. It was a photograph of Blaise, Theodore and Daphne. They were all sat on an armchair in the common room, with Blaise draped on the other two in a ridiculously dramatic pose. Daphne was laughing silently, her eyes crinkled in amusement and her blonde hair falling out of its bun. Even Theodore looked happy for once as he attempted to push Blaise’s legs away.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>‘You’ll always have a family with us.’</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Keziah burst into tears at the message written neatly on the photo frame in Daphne’s handwriting.</p><p>“Dorks,” Keziah breathed, her voice trembling slightly.</p><p>Stuck on the back of the frame was a small Christmas card. ‘Merry Christmas from the Greengrasses!’ it read. Daphne was on the cover, her hair braided neatly into two plaits. She was with a younger girl who looked incredibly similar, except her hair was very short. They were both dressed up like Santa’s elves.</p><p>Keziah brushed her fingers over the photo trying not to start crying even more. She sat like that, gripping the photo-frame, for quite some time. However, as the lamps slowly turned down and the dormitory filled with natural light, Keziah shook herself off.</p><p>Grabbing Harry and Ron’s gifts, she ran up the stairs, narrowly dodging the Fat Friar who was covered head to toe in ghostly holly. Keziah also passed several suits of armour who were singing along to ‘Last Christmas’. She stopped for a few seconds to conduct before continuing rushing upstairs.</p><p>By the time she entered the Gryffindor common room, after a bit of arguing with the Fat Lady, Harry and the others were sitting happily in the common room, each wearing a Weasley jumper.</p><p>“Look, Fred,” George said as soon as they saw her. “Even our rogue Slytherin’s gotten a jumper. Love the snake, Kez!”</p><p>Keziah thanked the twins before their antics got too much for her. She headed over to Harry and Ron, who were lounging like cats on their chairs.</p><p>“Merry Christmas, guys,” she said happily, tossing their gifts at them. Harry stared at his in shock.</p><p>“Keziah, you didn’t have to—” Ron protested weakly.</p><p>“Nonsense,” she laughed in return, springing onto a particularly cushy armchair. “Also can you owl your mum and tell her I said thanks for the jumper?”</p><p>Ron nodded, grinning at the Chudley Cannons poster he’d just uncovered.</p><p>“How did you know I liked these guys?”</p><p>“I’m good at giving gifts,” Keziah grinned mysteriously. “Oi, Harry! Aren’t you going to open your gift?”</p><p>“I didn’t get you anything,” Harry mumbled, looking down guiltily.</p><p>“So?” Keziah shrugged. For once, she wasn’t bothered that Harry had forgotten about her. The Christmas spirit was too powerful. “You give gifts because you want to, not because you want something in return.”</p><p>“Are you sure you’re not upset?”</p><p>“Not at all, now open your present, you git.”</p><p>Harry smiled shyly, slowly unwrapping his parcel. Underneath the brown wrapping papers were a pair of prescription Quidditch goggles and dragon-skin gloves. He gasped, fiddling with the plastic casing.</p><p>“Now I feel even worse,” he muttered in awe.</p><p>“Don’t.” Keziah pushed his shoulder gently.</p><p>Harry still looked uncomfortable so she decided it was time for a subject change.</p><p>“Did you get any mystery presents, Harry? I got this cool book and Potions set,” she said quickly.</p><p>“Wait, are you serious? Come up to my dorms, I need to show you something,” Harry whispered eagerly, his eyes wide as coins.</p><p>They scurried up the stairs on the right side, into a spiral staircase that led to a plethora of dorms. At the top of the spiral, the first-years boys’ dormitory sat.</p><p>“Bleeding hell! Even you guys have a better room than me,” Keziah moaned. Harry just grinned, leading her over to his trunk. Quickly, he tugged out a large piece of fabric, as silvery and fluid as water.</p><p>“The Invisibility Cloak,” Keziah gasped, moving forward to run her hands through the cloth.</p><p>“How did you know what it was?”</p><p>“I’ve read about these things,” Keziah said dismissively. It was technically the truth. “Did it have a note?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah!” Harry realised, grabbing a small slip of paper.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>‘Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.’ </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>“Do you recognise the handwriting?” Harry asked urgently.</p><p>“This belonged to our father,” Keziah said slowly, gripping the cloak tightly. Dumbledore had given it to Harry without even a mention for her. Was that why she had the potions set? As compensation? Suddenly Keziah was tempted to drop the Potions kit off the edge of the Astronomy tower.</p><p>“—Keziah, are you there?”</p><p>“Huh? Oh, I’m fine,” she mumbled, dragging her hair away from her face. “I think I recognise this handwriting but I’ll have to see. Can I try the cloak?”</p><p>Harry hesitated for half a second, so quick yet the moment stretched on for a lifetime. Tears wobbled at the corners of her eyes.</p><p>“Sure, Kez,” he smiled, handing over the cloak. Keziah was almost relieved to turn invisible, so she could have a moment to collect herself. She took a deep breath, willing it not to shudder or rattle. Then she resurfaced.</p><p>“That was awesome,” she whispered, staring down at the cloth, filled with the memories of generations upon generations. She pressed her face down into it again, sighing.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay, Keziah?” Harry prodded her gently. Keziah mopped up her eyes and nodded.</p><p>“I think it’s time for lunch anyway.”</p><p>*</p><p>Hogwarts Christmas dinners were in Keziah’s list of the top three meals she’d ever eaten. There was so much food that Keziah was very confused about how wizards hadn’t solved world hunger. Her favourite part of the entire experience, though, was the crackers. Great bright things which went off like cannons when pulled, letting out a stream of blue smoke that smelled mildly of apples.</p><p>Keziah pulled one with Ron and was very pleased when a dark fedora sprung out, along with a small flock of parrots. She petted the smallest one, before letting it flutter up to the rafters.</p><p>When they all left the table, Keziah was laden with things from the crackers, including a magic mood ring and a small model of a dragon.</p><p>They spent the rest of the afternoon out in the grounds, chucking snowballs at each other. Their fingers and cheeks had long turned numb, even behind the safety of gloves and scarves.</p><p>Freezing and gasping for warm air, they all stumbled into the Gryffindor common room, where Christmas tea was waiting.</p><p>“C-can I sleep here tonight?” Keziah yawned, fighting to keep her eyes open. “I’m much too tired to get back to the dungeons.”</p><p>“Sure,” Harry yawned. “You can borrow my pyjamas.”</p><p>Ron fell asleep almost immediately, curled up behind the thick velvet curtains. Keziah would’ve been next if she hadn’t been watching Harry from where half-sat, half-laid down. He was sitting up straight, running his fingers, almost obsessively, over the invisibility cloak.</p><p>All of a sudden, Harry jumped out of bed, wrapping the cloak swiftly around him. Keziah bolted up, staring directly at the spot Harry had vanished.</p><p>“Going somewhere?” she breathed. It was strange, talking to thin air.</p><p>“Library. To check for Nicholas Flamel,” came Harry’s reply. This was so weird.</p><p>“You get an invisibility cloak and the first thing you do is go to the library? Nerd,” Keziah laughed softly, pushing away her covers and slipping on her robes and socks.</p><p>“Rude,” Harry’s disembodied voice seethed in return.</p><p>“It’s what I do.”</p><p>Harry gently held up one edge of the cloak for her to scuttle underneath until they were both cramped side-by-side.</p><p>“This is so weird,” Keziah murmured as they shuffled out of the common room, footsteps painfully out of sync. While Harry’s footsteps echoed slightly in the eerie silence, Keziah’s were padded down by her socks. She smiled slightly.</p><p>The library was pitch black as they pushed the door open, wincing at the heavy <em>Creeaakkk</em> it sent into the night. Harry quickly lit a lamp, his arm hidden by the cloak so it looked like the lamp was hovering in midair.</p><p>“Creepy,” he whispered.</p><p>“More like cool.”</p><p>They moved slowly into the Restricted Section, the hairs on Keziah’s arm and neck standing up straight. If the library was eerie, this area was plucked straight from a horror movie. All it needed was some crazy killer jump-scaring them.</p><p>An ear-splitting scream ripped through the silence and Keziah’s voice joined it in her terror. Harry fumbled around next to her, trying desperately to shut a book but the scream kept going.</p><p>“What the hell did you just do?” she growled, grabbing the lamp and tucking in under the cloak. At the same time, Harry jammed the book back into the shelf, cutting off the shrieking. Just in time, Keziah thought, as Filch ran up to them, his pale eyes darting right through them.</p><p>The siblings nodded at each other and began to run before Filch or Mrs Norris could notice them.</p><p>“Boo,” Keziah hissed as she passed Filch’s ear. He jumped, looking around wildly for the culprit.</p><p>“What the hell did you do that for?” Harry whisper-screamed once they were far enough away. The two were leaning behind a suit of armour, trying to catch their breaths.</p><p>“I couldn't help it,” Keziah snickered. “Did you see the look on the bastard’s face? Nearly shat hims—”</p><p>Abruptly, Harry cut her off, slamming his palm across her mouth.</p><p>“—if anyone was wandering around at night and somebody’s been in the library. Restricted Section...”</p><p>Filch’s soft, greasy voice drifted towards them, sending more shivers down Keziah’s spine than she’d felt in the library. Those doubled when she heard who replied.</p><p>“The Restricted Section?” Snape responded softly. “Well, they can’t be far. We’ll catch them.”</p><p>Keziah felt desperately behind her for a doorknob and sighed in relief when she gripped one. She twisted it desperately, pulling Harry along as she disappeared inside.</p><p>They stood by the door, still as stone, until Hogwarts’ Slimiest™ walked around the corner. It took a few moments for Keziah to realise where she stood. However, as soon as she saw the mirror, her heart’s pace triple.</p><p>The Mirror of Erised was almost as enchanting as the images it displayed. It was as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame and glass like the clearest lake. There was an inscription at the top, in minuscule, curling letters.</p><p>“What does it say?” Harry whispered, moving forward with her.</p><p>“I show not your face but your heart’s desire,” she read aloud, tracing her finger backwards, following the letters.</p><p>“How do you know that?” Harry asked incredulously.</p><p>“It’s written backwards,” Keziah explained, leaving Harry to marvel as she took a glimpse into the mirror.</p><p>Her heart nearly broke at the sight in front of her.</p><p>Right in the front was her mother, her real-life mother who’d loved and cared for her for nineteen years, and her brother Daniel. She brushed the glass, desperate to hug and touch them again.</p><p>“Ima,” she whispered in a daze.</p><p>Behind them, Daphne, Blaise and Theodore were standing, laughing and goofing around. So was Harry and most of the Weasleys, with the silhouette of Hogwarts, raised in the background. Even her friends from her old debate club were there.</p><p>Her two worlds merged as one. It was perfect.</p><p>Keziah didn’t even notice she was crying until Harry tapped her on the shoulder, wrenching her back to reality.</p><p>“Are you alright, Keziah?”</p><p>She shrugged, pointing helplessly at the mirror. Keziah didn’t trust herself to speak just yet. Instead, she watched as Harry gazed hungrily into the mirror, his fingers plastered against the glass. She let him sit there, while she hugged herself. The loneliness she’d been feeling earlier had come back like a wave of a tsunami. It almost hurt to stand.</p><p>She took a shaky breath, calming herself down.</p><p>“Harry, we need to go,” she whispered, bending down to hug him tightly. He didn’t move. “Harry, come on.”</p><p>She was getting scared now, shaking his shoulders. The mirror was messing with their heads, they needed to get away immediately.</p><p>“Harry—”</p><p>Like somebody had flicked a switch, Harry suddenly came back to reality. He looked up at her like she wasn’t real, his eyes flickering back to the mirror.</p><p>“We need to leave,” she said softly, holding out her arm.</p><p>*</p><p>That morning, Keziah didn’t stick around. She hadn’t slept after she and Harry snuck back to the dormitories. The entire journey back to the dungeons felt more like a fever dream. One moment, she was saying goodbye to the Fat Lady and the next, she was burying her face in the familiar silk sheets of her room.</p><p>All the presents from the day before were still laying scattered across her bed. Keziah sat up, rubbing her eyes. She picked up the jars of meringues and placed it neatly on her desk. They made nice decorations. Forcing away her feelings, Keziah started methodically putting away all her gifts: hiding the sweets in her drawers, folding up her jumper and picking up the Dursleys’ coin.</p><p>She opened her trunk to put away the Potions kit and noticed a book tucked under her robes. It was the one she’d bought from Flourish and Blotts. The title was a little smudged, the gold ink only just discernible. It was about alchemy.</p><p>Keziah’s heart skipped a beat, all sad feelings abolished. She gingerly opened the book, trying hard not to break the spine. As soon as she spotted Nicholas Flamel’s name, she grinned. <em>‘Score’</em>, she thought gleefully, flipping to his chapter. Sure enough, there was an inked image of the Philosopher’s Stone, notes spiralling around it.</p><p>She had to show the boys.</p><p>By this time, it should’ve been around breakfast. Keziah grabbed the book, racing out of the dungeons, nearly slipping on the stones.</p><p>“You have to stop running through here,” said a portrait crossly. Keziah gave them the finger, not stopping to converse.</p><p>“Rude,” the portrait huffed.</p><p>The smell of bacon and eggs hit Keziah before she’d even reached the hall. So she was right.</p><p>“Harry, Ron!” she yelled, earning a few disgruntled looks.</p><p>“Keziah!” Ron greeted back, waving his arms around like a windmill. She rushed up to them.</p><p>“I found him,” she said breathlessly, pointing to the book.</p><p>“Who?” Ron asked.</p><p>“Nicholas Flamel! Who else?”</p><p>“Seriously?” Ron exclaimed excitedly. “Harry, did you hear that?”</p><p>Harry looked up dully, his eyes glazed. Another bolt of fear shot through Keziah.</p><p>“Ron, what’s the matter with him?” she asked sharply, panic bleeding through.</p><p>“Dunno,” Ron shrugged. “He’s been like this ever since he told me about the mirror. He said it shows your deepest desire. We’re going to see it tonight!”</p><p>“NO!” Keziah shouted. Ron paled.</p><p>“No,” she repeated, quieter. “That mirror is dangerous. Don’t let him leave.”</p><p>“I’m going, Keziah,” Harry said quietly, interrupting them. He looked scarily determined. “I saw mum and dad, you know.”</p><p>“So did I,” Keziah replied shakily. “I miss them too but staring at that mirror isn’t going to bring them back.”</p><p>Harry looked like he had been slapped.</p><p>“Don’t you think I know that?” he asked, his voice cracking. “At least now I get to know them!”</p><p>“No, you don’t!” Keziah cried. “That isn’t them! Those are sirens trying to draw us in until we waste away in front of the glass and I’ll be damned if I won’t listen to them!”</p><p>“Harry, you should listen to Keziah,” Ron added weakly, his eyes wide from her words. Harry nodded miserably, as though Keziah had assigned him to a death sentence that he was agreeing to.</p><p>She looked down at him.</p><p>“I’m saying this for your own good, you know,” she said softly, hugging his shoulders. Harry mumbled something in response.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As I was writing this scene, all I could think about was how Katara reacts to her mother’s death as opposed to Sokka. Guess what dynamic I am now latched onto???</p><p>Also, don’t hate on Harry, he is justified in his emotions!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm aware this one isn't as good as the earlier ones but bear with me :/</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah was ready for the holidays to be over. Christmas had heralded far too much doom and gloom for the girl’s liking. She wasn’t surprised when Ron told her that Harry had gone to see the mirror again, but was stopped by Dumbledore. When she’d brought up Nicholas Flamel, they agreed to review it when Hermione returned to the school. Even Keziah would admit that the muggle-born girl carried the group’s brain cells.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“KEZEEEEEE!”</p>
<p>Keziah had barely a moment to react before she was knocked into the snow by a flurry of blonde hair and colourful clothes.</p>
<p>“Did you miss me that much?” Keziah giggled, brushing her hair out of the way so she could get a better look at Daphne. “It was just for three weeks.”</p>
<p>“Still...” Daphne grinned, sitting up slightly.</p>
<p>“Should we leave you two alone for a bit?” came a drawling voice, prickled with laughter.</p>
<p>“Bugger off, Zabini,” Keziah smiled, trying to untangle herself from Daphne, who was bright pink from joy and embarrassment.</p>
<p>“How were your holidays? Cooped up in the castle?” Blaise asked, settling down in the snow beside the girls. He was sporting a new pair of silver ear piercings.</p>
<p>“I like your earrings,” Keziah snorted. The comment earned her a snowball to the face, which she quickly dodged. The downside was that it hit Daphne instead, who’d settled in Keziah’s lap.</p>
<p>“Hey, where’s Theo?” Daphne asked suddenly, dusting off snow from some heather.</p>
<p>“I think he’s coming to school a bit later,” Blaise said, sprinkling some snow on Daphne’s face. She sat up, scowling.</p>
<p>“Why do you keep throwing snow at me?” she whined, chucking a snowball back at him.</p>
<p>“Technically, I only did it once,”</p>
<p>“Once is still too much!”</p>
<p>Keziah sat comfortably as they started bickering, occasionally smashing snow against the other’s cheek. It was nice to have them back, she thought happily.</p>
<p>Eventually, they all got too cold to continue sitting out in the snow so they began to trudge inside.</p>
<p>“Seriously, though,” Blaise said, tugging off his scarf, which looked far too expensive to be covered in snow. “Was it boring? Staying here and all.”</p>
<p>“Why do you want to know?” Keziah asked. Blaise shrugged noncommittally and she softened, remembering how annoyed he had been about going home.</p>
<p>“It was alright,” she sighed. “A bit lonely stuck here by myself but it was fine.”</p>
<p>Blaise hummed, but Keziah could already see how his expression had brightened. He doesn’t want to go home, she realised with biting sympathy. But why?</p>
<p>Brushing asides her worry about Blaise’s home life for the moment, she stared at the onslaught of students drifting in from the station. Amidst the crowds, she saw Hermione, bundled in a cloak and several scarves, her dark skin barely visible under all the layers.</p>
<p>“HERMIONE!” she yelled, scrambling away from her friends to get the Gryffindor’s attention. “HERMIONE!”</p>
<p>The muggle-born girl startled, looking up in the crowd wondering who was screaming her name like a bloody lunatic.</p>
<p>“Keziah!” Hermione huffed, adjusting her clothes so she could speak clearly. “What’s the matter?”</p>
<p>“I found Nicholas Flamel,” she said in a hushed tone, so only Hermione could hear.</p>
<p>“You what?” the other girl nearly shrieked.</p>
<p>Shhhh,” Keziah hissed, frantically covering Hermione’s mouth with her hands. “Not so loudly.”</p>
<p>Hermione scowled, gently shooing away the other girl’s hands. She adjusted herself again, all the while maintaining a glare.</p>
<p>“Meet me in the library in about half an hour. If it’s not open, then we’ll meet up tomorrow,” she said finally.”</p>
<p>“Or I could just come up with you to the common room,” Keziah smiled. “Where do you think I’ve been these three weeks?”</p>
<p>“THAT—” Hermione gasped. “That’s breaking the rules!”</p>
<p>“Would you rather I spent the holidays alone?”</p>
<p>That made Hermione fluster, almost like a very annoyed goose. The image of a Hermione-goose almost made Keziah burst out into giggles.</p>
<p>“Of course, not!” Hermione snapped. “I just would rather uphold the rules than whack at them like they’re a pinata at a birthday party.”</p>
<p>“Aren’t you formal?” Keziah snickered. “Look, Granger. If it bothers you so much, I’ll meet you guys after Potions on Friday. We don’t have classes after lunch. You happy?”</p>
<p>Hermione mumbled something under her breath irritably but she nodded. Keziah grinned in relief. She wasn’t quite sure where she stood with Hermione and most of their conversations ended in an argument. At least this one didn’t.</p>
<p>“I’ll see you later then?”</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Hermione muttered, disappearing through the crowds.</p>
<p>“What’s got Granger’s knickers up in a twist?”</p>
<p>Theodore’s voice rang clear through the throng of students as he batted people out of the way.</p>
<p>“No clue, honestly,” Keziah sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “I mean, why wouldn’t anyone like this?”</p>
<p>She gestured to herself, smirking.</p>
<p>“Maybe you scare them off with that temper of yours?” Theodore wondered jokingly.</p>
<p>“Maybe.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The transition back into lessons was so slow and boring that Keziah almost preferred studying in the common room, with only the crackling of fire to bother her. Harry and the others were too busy to meet up most days, which left Keziah content to hang out with her actual friends.</p>
<p>Still, she couldn’t wait until she displayed the book, showing that she had found Flamel before the rest. That hope came crashing down when the Gryffindors giddily approached her.</p>
<p>“We found him,” Hermione said excitedly. “Nicholas Flamel!”</p>
<p>“You mean I found him?” Keziah asked slowly. “I told you on the first day back?”</p>
<p>The trio looked at each other in surprise and Keziah could see the realisation settle on their faces.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Keziah realised, emotion welling up behind her eyes that she couldn’t quite decipher. “You found him without me?”</p>
<p>They all nodded. Keziah bit her lip, trying not to cry. She didn’t know why she felt so sad at the thought that Harry and his friends had found Flamel without her. But she’d bought the book specifically to help and now it was all for waste.</p>
<p>“Great! Is that all you wanted to say?” she asked quietly.</p>
<p>“Not exactly,” Hermione admitted. “We also found out that Snape is refereeing the next game!”</p>
<p>“So?”</p>
<p>“It’s Snape!” Ron exclaimed, as though obvious.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Keziah murmured bitterly. “You’d think that we would refer to the man by his name, no?”</p>
<p>“Are you alright, Keziah?” Harry asked.</p>
<p>“Why wouldn’t I be?”</p>
<p>“We’re sorry,” Ron said after the silence drew out for far too long. Keziah nodded, smiling stiffly.</p>
<p>“I’ll see you lot later then?”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The morning dawned too cheerfully for Keziah’s liking. Her bad mood had mostly dissipated since her conversation with Harry and his friends, a little over a week ago, but the dregs remained like tiny leeches.</p>
<p>“You’re strange, you know?” Daphne said as they walked down to the stands. Theodore and Blaise had rushed ahead, once again, leaving the girls behind.</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?”</p>
<p>Daphne looked away, toying with her baker boy hat.</p>
<p>“Nothing bad,” she stammered. “But there’s something about you...”</p>
<p>“Care to explain?” Keziah asked, a wash of panic rising up involuntarily.</p>
<p>“I don’t... I don’t know how to?” Daphne shrugged, pulling her braids like they were ropes from a belltower.</p>
<p>“Then I don’t know how to answer,” Keziah answered firmly before they both broke into childish giggles.</p>
<p>Her gaze drifted over to the Forbidden Forest. The bright February sun made the canopies look almost pleasant, the occasional cloud of birds lifting up. It made her think of the orchards on her Feter’s farm. That reminded her of her mother and <em>home</em>. She missed it so much, yet every day Keziah walked on the cobbled stones of the Hogwarts corridors, it seemed like they were the true fantasy.</p>
<p>“Holy lord,” Daphne commented, breaking Keziah out of her trance. “The whole school’s here! Look, even Professor Dumbledore’s here!”</p>
<p>There was no mistaking the silver beard, Keziah mused, following Daphne’s gaze.</p>
<p>“Must be pretty important for him to be out here,” Keziah said aloud.</p>
<p>Daphne nodded. Suddenly, Keziah got an idea. She glanced at her friend slyly.</p>
<p>“Daphne, I bet you a galleon that Harry’s going to catch the snitch in five minutes!”</p>
<p>The blonde scoffed so hard that she choked.</p>
<p>“You’re joking, right?”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Keziah laughed, popping the p.</p>
<p>Daphne stared at her for a few more seconds, her face passive. Then, she dug out a galleon and pressed it into Keziah’s palm.</p>
<p>“I’m taking that back after the match,” she said resolutely.</p>
<p>Keziah hummed noncommittally, fighting back a smirk. They continued over to the stands, where Theodore and Blaise were bouncing in excitement.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe Dumbledore is here,” Theodore was saying as the girls settled in.</p>
<p>“Well, he’s human too,” Daphne reasoned. “If he wants to watch a quidditch match, we shouldn’t judge.”</p>
<p>“This is why I said you should be in Hufflepuff,” Blaise snickered.</p>
<p>“At least then I wouldn’t have to put up with you parts,” Daphne huffed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you’d have to put up with pansies and wet blankets instead,” Theodore laughed, adjusting the binoculars he’d brought along.</p>
<p>“Guys, Hufflepuff isn’t that bad,” Keziah reasoned. It was a shame how much the wizarding world underestimated Hufflepuffs.</p>
<p>“Sure, Keziah,” Blaise laughed. “You know, since Snape is the referee, how many penalties do you think he’ll give?”</p>
<p>“Enough to wreck the Gryffindors, probably,” Theodore said gleefully.</p>
<p>“Then we’d be in the lead, right?” Daphne exclaimed.</p>
<p>Keziah nodded. At least she didn’t have to worry about Quirrel for this match, she thought. She could just enjoy it, despite how quick it would be.</p>
<p>The teams marched onto the pitch amidst cheers and screams, including Theodore’s and Blaise’s, who were both trying very hard to make Keziah deaf.</p>
<p>They were barely in the air when the shriek of the referee’s whistle burst through the noise.</p>
<p>“A penalty already?” Daphne gasped. “Is that some sort of record?”</p>
<p>“Nah,” Theodore laughed. “My sister graduated a few years ago and she said a penalty was awarded because a Hufflepuff went on as a Gryffindor.”</p>
<p>“How would that even work?” Keziah snorted, snatching his binoculars so she could scope out Harry, ignoring Theodore’s protests.</p>
<p>“Dunno,” he shrugged, snatching back the device.</p>
<p>“Shut up!” Blaise snapped. “I’m trying to watch a game, in case you haven’t noticed!”</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry,” Daphne pleaded mockingly. “We had no clue!”</p>
<p>At that very moment, Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty. For no reason whatsoever.</p>
<p>“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?” Blaise yelled, jabbing his finger at the head of Slytherin.</p>
<p>“I thought you’d be happy if Gryffindor got a disadvantage,” Theodore said. “If the badgers win, we’re more likely to win the House Cup.”</p>
<p>“Please,” Blaise snorted. “We win every year anyway! I’d rather watch a <em>fair</em> game of Quidditch, thank you very much. There are rules for a reason.”</p>
<p>“Weren’t you shooting spitballs at Quirrel the other day?” Daphne giggled.</p>
<p>“Besides the point — HOLY MERLIN DID YOU SEE THAT DIVE?!”</p>
<p>The rest of the group did in fact see Harry turn into a sharp drop, hurtling down so fast the air whistled around him.</p>
<p>“Is that safe?” Keziah asked nervously, despite knowing Harry would be fine.</p>
<p>“It’s Quidditch,” Blaise said blithely. He was gripping the guards of the stand extremely tightly as he leaned over the edge, teetering on dangerous.</p>
<p>“That doesn’t answer my question,” Keziah mumbled in return. She watched with bated breath as Harry zoomed past Snape, missing the man by inches as he clasped the snitch, its delicate wings fidgeting in his grip.</p>
<p>The stands erupted into screams. Even the bitterest of students had to admit such a game could go in the record books. Even Theodore was clapping furiously.</p>
<p>“That was epic,” Blaise said in awe.</p>
<p>Daphne, on the other hand, was a little less impressed.</p>
<p>“Do they know this puts Gryffindor in the lead?” she whispered to Keziah, smirking.</p>
<p>“Let them be excited,” Keziah hushed back, smiling. She stopped smiling when Daphne shoved her arm.</p>
<p>“How the hell did you know Potter would catch the snitch so quickly?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t,” Keziah grinned, grabbing the galleon Daphne had given her and she spun it between her fingers. Daphne didn’t look amused.</p>
<p>“I’ll let you have this one Keziah,” she said slowly. Then she gasped. “Maybe that’s what’s so strange about you! You’re some sort of psychic!”</p>
<p>“And I think you ate something funny at breakfast,” Keziah said dryly. Of course, Daphne had no clue how right she truly was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Exams were getting closer and closer as the weeks dragged on. Hermione had tried to rope Keziah into her studying scheme but had quickly backed off when the Slytherin threatened to curse her. Instead, she went back to annoying Harry and Ron.</p><p>Keziah, on the other hand, was happily ignoring her revision until necessary. The chilly aftermath of winter was rapidly melting away to reveal a perfect summer. Her friends seemed to have a similar attitude, spare for Draco Malfoy. It was nearly comical, watching the boy, usually so callous and arrogant, leafing through books upon books and writing notes until his palms were stained with ink.</p><p>“This is such a perfect day,” Daphne sighed, one afternoon.</p><p>It was the first good day in ages and they were determined to enjoy it. The sky was a peaceful blue, the sun shining happily in the sky. As soon as she had spotted how nice it looked outside, Keziah had suggested a picnic and there was unanimous agreement.</p><p>“Do you think Draco will be pissed off that we took his bedsheets?” Theodore asked, patting the sheet they were all laying on, basking in the sun.</p><p>Blaise shrugged, leaning over all of them to grab the picnic basket they’d filled with sandwiches and the remains of Keziah’s stash of Christmas sweets.</p><p>“Don’t know and don’t care,” Keziah snorted.</p><p>Daphne hummed in agreement, adjusting the sunglasses she had on. Abruptly, she sat up.</p><p>“What do they three want?” she groaned. The boys also sat up, looking towards the castle.</p><p>“Look, Keziah, it’s your brother and his friends,” Theodore noted. That made her sit up.</p><p>“What do they want?” she wondered aloud. She hoped it was nothing that needed her to follow them. It was so peaceful, just lying down and letting the sun warm up her skin.</p><p>“How should we know?” Blaise asked, leaning back down. “Just tell them to eff off.”</p><p>“You know I can’t do that.”</p><p>“Why not?” Daphne chimed in. “Just because he’s your brother doesn’t mean you have to answer his beck and call.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Keziah defended. “Plus, we don’t know what— hi, Harry!”</p><p>Harry looked breathless, flushed from running. Ron and Hermione were behind him, also trying to catch their breaths. Behind her, Keziah saw Daphne’s eyebrows quirk in snide amusement as she turned away to talk to Blaise and Theodore.</p><p>“Keziah, we need to talk to you,” he said urgently.</p><p>“Shoot.”</p><p>“I... I meant alone?”</p><p>“Come on, Potter,” Blaise called. “She’s hanging out with us!”</p><p>“Yeah, leave us alone,” Daphne agreed, tossing a handful of Bertie Botts in their direction.</p><p>Keziah glared at them.</p><p>“Sorry, guys,” she said. She wanted to hang out with her friends, but what if this was important! She pushed herself off the ground and made a promise that she’d be back.</p><p>Harry tugged her along, in Hagrid’s hut’s direction.</p><p>“What’s going on?” she asked.</p><p>“We think Hagrid’s up to something,” Harry admitted in a hushed voice.</p><p>“He was acting shifty in the library and he was looking up dragons,” Ron added.</p><p>Keziah swore under her breath. <em>Nonononono</em>. She knew this would happen but she couldn’t help but curse Hagrid.</p><p>“You want me to come with you to check out whatever the hell he’s up to?”</p><p>There were a series of nods. Keziah sighed, hanging her head.</p><p>“Let’s go,” she muttered, uneasiness building up at the back of her throat.</p><p>Harry grinned, pulling her along. She glanced back at her friends. Blaise was yelling about something, holding the picnic basket above his head while Daphne was standing on her tiptoes trying to retrieve it. She sighed again.</p><p>When they knocked on the gamekeeper’s door, Keziah realised that all the curtains were shut tightly. She gripped her robes tightly.</p><p>The inside of the hut was stifling hot, to the point that Keziah threw her robes over her head. There was a blazing fire in the grate, as well as something big and black. The uneasiness was forming a lump in Keziah’s throat as she stared.</p><p>“Do yeh want tea?” Hagrid grunted, jabbing his thumb towards the kettle. “Or a stoat sandwich?”</p><p>“Stoat?” Keziah asked in disgust, the image of the adorable weasels filling her head.</p><p>“So yeh wanted to ask me somethin’?”</p><p>“Yes,” Harry said firmly. “We were wondering if you could tell us what’s guarding the Philosopher’s Stone, apart from Fluffy?”</p><p>Keziah raised her eyebrows. So that’s what the trio was actually after, she thought. At least they were including her.</p><p>She shuffled around the hut as Hagrid started making excuses and the Gryffindors bartered for information. Thankfully, Fang wasn’t inside, which meant she wouldn’t be sent into cardiac arrest. The fire was even hotter as she edged closer. Keziah could already feel the sweat building up under her shirt.</p><p>In the very heart of the flames was a huge black egg. The shell was like black scales, glistening among the fire licking at it.</p><p>“What were you thinking?” Keziah hissed underneath her breath. The answer, she supposed, was that Hagrid wasn’t. There was a long silver poker resting against the grate, sharp and strong. Keziah imagined stabbing the egg with it, ending the chaos before it started. But that was a real egg, with a real creature inside it. She wasn’t that cruel.</p><p>“Hagrid,” Harry asked suddenly, moving over to join Keziah. “What’s <em>that</em>?”</p><p>Ron gasped excitedly, crouching over the fire to get a closer look. Keziah let him, already backing away.</p><p>“Where did you get it, Hagrid?” he said. “It must’ve cost a fortune.”</p><p>“Why do you have it?” Keziah asked sharply, glaring at the gamekeeper. He looked surprised at her attitude. “These are illegal for a reason, Hagrid.”</p><p>"Won it," said Hagrid, ignoring Keziah. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."</p><p>“But what are you going to do when it’s hatched?” said Hermione. Keziah nodded furiously, her anger bubbling up.</p><p>“Well, I’ve been doin’ some readin’,” Hagrid said, pulling out a large book from under his pillow.</p><p>Keziah very nearly choked on how stupid that sounded.</p><p>“Are you seriously going to go through with this,” she nearly screeched. “You live in a WOODEN HUT! Dragons are kept in very specific sanctuaries for a reason! Deciding on the drop of a hat to take care of one of the most dangerous creatures ever, which are illegal by the way, is so stupid! And, on top of that, the only advice you’re going off is some book you found in the damn library!”</p><p>“It’s a bit’ outta date, o’ course, but it’s all in here—” Hagrid protested gently.</p><p>“That’s not the bloody point,” she shouted. The other three looked shocked, standing very still and very quiet. The only sound was the crackling fire.</p><p>“Keziah,” Ron started.</p><p>“No!” Keziah barked. Ron backed down instantly, his ears bright red. “I’m leaving. I won’t rat you out but I’m not helping you either. You three—” she paused to jab her fingers in each of the Gryffindors’ chests. “—should get out of here too.”</p><p>She was breathing heavily as she grabbed her robes and stormed out. Keziah was nice enough not to throw the door open for the whole school to see but she refused to close it as she slipped out.</p><p>Daphne spotted her as she was passing the lake and called out to her, but Keziah was too angry to respond. Instead, she made her way down to the dungeons, preferably to scream into her pillow about the ridiculousness of people.</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah resolutely refused to talk to Harry and the rest of them until they admitted she was right. It was strangely reminiscent of the first few weeks of school. As exams loomed over them, she found a way to distract herself.</p><p>However, all her perfectly crafted distractions were wrenched away by a simple two words.</p><p>‘It’s hatching,’ the note read. Keziah had growled and ripped up the note into several tiny pieces, stirring it into her porridge until it was no more.</p><p>“Seriously, are you alright?” Blaise asked, touching her shoulder.</p><p>“I’m fine,” she snapped, never sounding less fine. However, Blaise still backed off, sending furtive looks in Daphne’s direction.</p><p>Unable to concentrate on breakfast, she got up, grabbing her satchel roughly and left the hall.</p><p>“Keziah! Have you heard?” she heard Harry call from behind her. Giving a silent prayer, she turned around with a fake smile.</p><p>“Heard what?” she asked cheerfully. Harry opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by an ecstatic Ron.</p><p>“The dragon,” he said, bouncing on his heels only to be pulled back by a grouchy Hermione. “It’s hatching. We’re going to see it now!”</p><p>“No, we are not,” Hermione interrupted. “We’ve got lessons, we’ll get in trouble and that’s nothing to what Hagrid’s going to be in if someone finds out what he’s doing.”</p><p>“Exactly!” Keziah exclaimed in relief. “Thank you, Hermione!”</p><p>“Shut up,” Harry burst out.</p><p>Keziah was so surprised that she listened and closed her mouth. She said goodbye and hurried off, hoping not to be late to Charms. That plan was messed up when someone grabbed her collar and hauled her into a side corridor.</p><p>“What the hell, Draco?” she hissed, wrestling out of Crabbe’s grip.</p><p>“What was Potter talking about?” he asked blithely, as though discussing the weather. “Earlier, about the oaf?”</p><p>“None of your business,” she spat. “Now excuse me, I need to get to Charms.”</p><p>“I’ll find out, you know,” Draco warned. “Whether you tell me or not. Your brother is finished and you might be too.”</p><p>“I’d like to see you try,” Keziah laughed, walking away. Internally, she was panicking. She needed to warn Hagrid.</p><p>She saw Daphne and Theodore appear around the corner and she got an idea.</p><p>“Hey, Daph?” she asked hurriedly.”Can you tell Flitwick I was feeling sick so I stayed in bed? If he’s annoyed, tell him I’m willing to sit detention.”</p><p>“Why? What’s the matter?”</p><p>“Long story,” Keziah said, patting her friend on the shoulder and rushing away.</p><p>She weaved around the students filing out of the Great Hall and raced to Hagrid’s hut. A few feet away, she spotted Professor Kettleburn teaching group of students out on the lawn. Distantly, Keziah wondered how the man would react to the dragon egg.</p><p>Her knocks were quiet but persistent until the door was opened. She didn’t even wait for an invitation and just slipped right in.</p><p>“Keziah?” Hagrid asked. “I thought yeh were against this?”</p><p>“I am,” she answered grimly. “But Draco overheard Harry and the others talking and he’s close to figuring it out. I’m here to warn you. Also to watch the hatching.”</p><p>The last point was an impulse decision but there was no point to go back to class, so for now, Keziah was stuck.</p><p>Hagrid grinned warmly underneath his bushy beard, which was slightly charred at the edges. Keziah settled into a seat, grabbing one of her textbooks and reading it to pass the time.</p><p>She watched over the edge of it as Hagrid gingerly placed the egg on the table. It was quivering, the smallest cracks making their way through the surface. The curtains were open so Hagrid could keep an eye out for Harry, Ron and Hermione.</p><p>After an hour or so, they appeared, covered in a thin layer of soil. Hagrid was a ball of nerves as he ushered them all in excitedly.</p><p>“Keziah! What are you doing here?” Hermione gasped.</p><p>“Draco heard you lot so I came down to warn Hagrid. No point going back to class after that,” Keziah shrugged, putting away her book. Just in time too, as a scraping sound echoed through the hut.</p><p>The egg split open and the baby dragon tumbled out. It wasn’t pretty, looking more like a misshapen umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its body and its large orange eyes were like spotlights.</p><p>It sneezed, tiny sparks shooting out of its nostrils.</p><p>“Awwwww,” Keziah squealed, pointing at the hatchling. The others looked at her weirdly, apart from Hagrid who was enamoured with the dragon.</p><p>He instantly started cooing about how the dragon knew its mummy. It was so sweet that Keziah could feel her teeth rotting. She glanced at the open curtains and nearly bit her tongue in alarm. Rushing towards the window, she peered out of it, only to come face to face with Draco Malfoy. He smirked, his eyes glittering maliciously as he turned and ran.</p><p>“Shit,” she whispered. “Hagrid, I’ve got to go.”</p><p>Without staying for a response, Keziah threw open the door and began running after the boy. He had a few seconds of a headstart but Keziah was faster. She quickly caught up to him, tackling him so they both fell onto the ground.</p><p>“What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Draco screeched, covering his face.</p><p>“Calm down you lunatic, I’m not going to hurt you.”</p><p>“<em>I’m </em>the lunatic?”</p><p>“Yes, I thought that was established.”</p><p>“Can you get off me?”</p><p>“Not until you listen to me. What did you see?” she asked viciously.</p><p>“Nothing of your concern,” Draco grinned. “But your friend might want to watch himself.”</p><p>“You keep your mouth shut!” Keziah snarled, reaching for her wand and pressing it to his throat.</p><p>“What are you going to do? A tickle jinx is hardly threatening. Unless you want to tell a professor?”</p><p>Glowering at the boy, Keziah got up, although her wand stayed trained on his face.</p><p>“I’ll be watching you.”</p><p>Draco sneered at her. The effect was ruined when he tripped over his own two feet as he scurried away.</p><p>*</p><p>If it was up to Keziah, Draco would’ve been set six feet under by the next day. All week, an infuriating smile played on his face.</p><p>Even Harry and the others were getting antsy after Keziah relayed the fact that Draco knew. They spent most of their free time begging Hagrid to set the damned creature free.</p><p>“Hagrid, this is ridiculous,” Keziah urged. “You’ll go to jail if Draco talks. Just get rid of it! Maybe Kettleburn will be barmy enough to help you!”</p><p>“I’ll be fine, Keziah,” Hagrid said. “Plus I can’t set ‘im free. He’ll die! He’s so little!”</p><p>“If that thing is little, then you’re the size of a bowtruckle!” Keziah cried, coughing slightly from the smoke furling constantly from the dragon.</p><p>It had tripled in size during that week alone. Chicken feathers and brandy bottles littered the floor, making the hut almost torturous to be in. Keziah couldn't even imagine living in it.</p><p>“Hagrid,” Harry interjected loudly. “In a fortnight, Norbert’ll be as big as your house! Malfoy can go to Dumbledore at any time!”</p><p>Hagrid bit his lip, looking away. Keziah rolled her eyes, her sympathy for the man quickly dwindling into exasperation.</p><p>“Charlie!” Harry cried suddenly. They all looked at him in confusion.</p><p>“You’re losing it too,” said Ron. “I’m Ron, remember?”</p><p>Keziah snorted.</p><p>“No — Charlie — your brother Charlie. In Romania? Studying dragons? We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!”</p><p>“You’re as mental as Hagrid!” Keziah exclaimed. “How are we going to smuggle the dragon to him? Send it through the post?”</p><p>“Of course not,” Ron said. “How about it, Hagrid?”</p><p>In the end, despite Keziah’s protests to think things through, Hagrid agreed and she was quite outnumbered.</p><p>*</p><p>“I hate my life.”</p><p>Keziah was slumped over her trowel, trying desperately to stifle the shuddering yawns racking her frame. She had been with Hagrid the night before, helping him feed Norbert. Although she would never condone animal cruelty, if the dragon suddenly keeled over, she wouldn’t be sobbing over the corpse.</p><p>“Why?” Theodore asked, nudging her gently. She jolted, having nearly fallen asleep over the biting begonias.</p><p>“Just do,” she moaned. He grinned, easily repotting the dittany sprouts they were supposed to be working on together.</p><p>To her surprise, after class, she found Harry and Hermione anxiously waiting for her.</p><p>“Go ahead, guys. I’ll catch up,” she said.</p><p>“That’s what you said last time,” Daphne muttered in annoyance.</p><p>“And the time before that,” Blaise added.</p><p>Keziah shooed them away, not missing their dirty looks.</p><p>“Where’s Ron?” she asked.</p><p>“He got bit by Norbert,” Hermione said faintly. “It went this horrible green colour and it’s swollen—”</p><p>“I don’t need to know the gory details,” Keziah interrupted hastily. “Did Charlie reply yet?”</p><p>“Yes!” Harry said excitedly. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re going to take Norbert to the Astronomy tower at midnight on Saturday.”</p><p>“You’re going to do it?” Keziah asked sharply.</p><p>The other two nodded.</p><p>“Why can’t Hagrid do it? If you’re caught, you’ll be in huge trouble. It’s his mess, not ours,” she reasoned.</p><p>“Hagrid’s our friend,” Hermione protested weakly.</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“We’re doing this, Keziah,” Harry said determinedly. “After Saturday, it’ll all be over anyway.”</p><p>Keziah stared at them for several seconds. Then she nodded.</p><p>“It’s on your heads.”</p><p>*</p><p>After classes finished, Keziah joined Harry and Hermione to go visit Ron. Madame Pomfrey looked antsy at the number of visitors but let them in. Ron was in a terrible state when they finally entered.</p><p>“It’s not just my hand,” he whispered, “although that feels like it’s going to fall off too.”</p><p>He broke off into a recount of Malfoy visiting to take the mickey, working himself up. They all tried to calm him down, Madame Pomfrey glaring at them from her office.</p><p>“It’ll all be over at midnight on Saturday,” Hermione said but it didn’t soothe Ron at all. Instead, he bolted upright, going completely pale.</p><p>“Midnight on Saturday!” he wheezed hoarsely. “Oh no — oh no — I’ve just remembered — Charlie’s letter was in that book Malfoy took! He’s going to know we’re getting rid of Norbert.”</p><p>“Leave it to me,” Keziah said firmly, just as Madame Pomfrey ushered them all out, insisting that Ron needed sleep.</p><p>*</p><p>Sleep nudged at Keziah as she struggled to stay awake. Her cloak was almost stifling, but she couldn’t risk missing Malfoy because she stopped to put it on. The grand clock in the corner ticked on, the extravagant hand moving slowly and surely passed the eleventh hour.</p><p>The silence was broken by a series of clumsy ruffling that jerked Keziah out of her daze, half-way between consciousness and oblivion. She took a moment to compose herself before peering through the darkness.</p><p>“Who’s there?” she asked slowly, gripping her wand.</p><p>There was more movement as well as a muttered swear. Keziah lit up her wand, not surprised to find Draco standing as still and pale as a statue.</p><p>“What are you doing?” she asked slowly, getting up as to block his path.</p><p>“None of your business, Potter,” he snapped back, suddenly coming back to life.</p><p>“You’re going after Harry, aren’t you?” she hissed, moving closer.</p><p>Stubbornly, Draco refused to budge.</p><p>“What’s it to you?”</p><p>“I told you to leave them alone!”</p><p>Draco smirked at her, fiddling with his sleeves. Then, quick as a blink, his wand was out and Keziah toppled over, her legs glued firmly together.</p><p>“You bastard,” she spat. The boy just grinned, disappearing through the portrait hole.</p><p>When Keziah had fallen, her wand had rolled away under a sofa. She swore under her breath, wriggling over to grab it. It was a strange feeling, not being able to separate your legs. Was this how worms felt?</p><p>It took an irritating amount of time to retrieve her wand, her fingers barely brushing the stick until she had pushed it hard enough that the thing rolled out. Keziah had nearly snapped it but decided that she quite liked her magic.</p><p>Quickly undoing the Leglocker curse, she rushed through the portrait hole.</p><p>“You should stop running through here, dear,” a portrait called exasperatedly. Keziah ignored it, running faster. She had to stop Draco before McGonagall found him. She had promised them after all, that she would make sure they weren’t caught. She had promised. She had promised. She had promised. She had —</p><p>In her rush of thoughts, desperate to find Draco before McGonagall did, Keziah had run right into the woman.</p><p>McGonagall somehow looked, even more, intimidating in a tartan robe and a hair net. Her dark eyes were cold as she helped Keziah stand up. Draco was less than a foot away, quivering as he stood.</p><p>“What do you think you’re doing out here, Miss Potter?” McGonagall asked quietly. Keziah shivered.</p><p>“I — I was trying to stop Draco,” she said honestly. McGonagall didn’t look amused.</p><p>“And what were you doing out, Mr Malfoy?”</p><p>“Harry Potter’s coming, Professor! He’s got a dragon!” Draco squawked. Keziah cringed at the furious expression settling on the teacher’s face.</p><p>“A dragon, you say?” McGonagall whispered. “Miss Potter!”</p><p>Keziah stood bolt upright.</p><p>“Do you have any clue about your brother’s dragon?”</p><p>“I don’t know what he’s talking about, Professor,” she answered, looking away from Draco. She imagined his expression to be one of an angry betrayal. Though, in all honesty, Keziah couldn’t care less about what Draco Malfoy though about her.</p><p>“Do you know what I think?” McGonagall asked, her voice rising. “I think that you both should be put right in detention! Wandering around at midnight! Fifty points from Slytherin! I’ll be talking to Professor Snape about you both!”</p><p>Draco and Keziah were escorted all the way back to the dungeons in rigid silence. The same portrait who had chided Keziah earlier chucked as they passed, but was silenced by a look from McGonagall.</p><p>They sheepishly bid her goodnight and quickly scrambled into the common room without even a glance backwards.</p><p>“This is all your fault!” Draco hissed.</p><p>“<em>My fault</em>?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What makes Keziah a Potter is her lack of impulse control and her temper lmao</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another example of my erratic update schedule</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah considered herself to be a very temperamental person. She got angry far too much and was well aware of that fact. However, during the last few weeks, she felt like she was bloody well justified in her anger. </p><p>Although Slytherin had only lost forty points, which were almost immediately regained, the Gryffindors were a different story altogether. In her anger, McGonagall had taken one hundred and fifty points from her own house, leaving them dead last for the house cup.</p><p>It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, watching the Gryffindors trail down the stairs and stare in confusion at how little rubies sat in their hourglass. Then the story began to spread about how Harry Potter and two other stupid first-years had managed to singlehandedly ruin Gryffindor’s chance at winning the house cup.</p><p>Like a flick of a switch, Harry was suddenly the most hated person in the school. Even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff turned against him because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup for the first time in seven years.</p><p>Keziah had yelled at so many people that she had to go to Madame Pomphrey because of a sore throat.</p><p>“You children put too much stock into houses and points,” the matron huffed as she forced a vial of potion into Keziah’s hands. “Drink, my dear.”</p><p>It disgusted her, watching her brother bullied and insulted for something that wasn’t his fault if you thought about it. </p><p>*</p><p>“I hope you’re proud of yourself, Hagrid,” she said sourly after bursting into the gamekeeper’s hut. </p><p>“What are yeh talkin’ about, Keziah?”</p><p>“Right now, Harry’s getting bullied by the whole school because of you!” she spat. </p><p>Hagrid looked wounded as he set a kettle onto the flame.</p><p>“What do yeh mean?”</p><p>“If you had listened to us about your bloody dragon, or at the very least, not act like a bunch of first-years were the adults in the situation, Harry wouldn’t be getting insulted from every side!” she screeched. </p><p>*</p><p>Only Keziah and Ron were sticking by Harry nowadays. Daphne, Theodore and Blaise weren’t making things better either, constantly making jibes about how a person could lose so many points in one night.</p><p>“Harry, it’ll all blow over soon,” Keziah promised, hugging her brother’s shoulders as they walked around the grounds eating toast.</p><p>“Easy for you to say,” Harry mumbled in return, wiping his eyes discreetly.</p><p>“How’s Quidditch?” Keziah asked, hoping the change of subject would lighten the boy up.</p><p>“Rubbish,” </p><p>“Why? I thought you loved Quidditch practice,”</p><p>“Not anymore,” Harry said sadly. “Nobody talks to me and if they have to, they just call me Seeker.”</p><p>“WHAT!” Keziah yelled in outrage. “How dare they?”</p><p>“It’s fine, Keziah,” Harry protested weakly, stopping her.</p><p>“It’s not fine,” Keziah seethed. “I’ve got to go, Harry. I need to knock some sense into your teammates.”</p><p>She was deaf to Harry’s complaints as she thundered up to the school, cheeks burning in anger. Her mind was like a raging ocean, no coherent thoughts available.</p><p>Coincidentally, the first people Keziah saw were Fred and George Weasley, who was coming out of the Great Hall, chattering about something.</p><p>“Fred! George!” she yelled, marching up to something. It was funny, how much taller the twins were compared to Keziah’s short stature but she didn’t care.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” George asked casually.</p><p>“I’ll tell you what’s the matter,” she growled. “It’s that you and all your little friends on the Quidditch team think it’s alright to be mean to Harry when the entire school is already making his life hell!”</p><p>“Keziah,” Fred said weakly, glancing at George.</p><p>“So you’ll call me by my name but ignore Harry and call him seeker if you have to talk to him?”</p><p>“Well,” George started, looking anywhere except the angry redhead in front of him. </p><p>“He lost us over one hundred points in one night,” Fred said, although he looked doubtful.</p><p>“It wasn’t just Harry, was it? And you’re telling me you’ve never lost a serious amount of points?” she asked quietly.</p><p>“The most we’ve ever lost was around eighty points for painting the Astronomy tower red and gold,” George shrugged.</p><p>“Did people bully you all across the school?”</p><p>“Not exactly,” Fred mumbled.</p><p>“Mostly thought it was funny,” George added.</p><p>Keziah chewed the inside of her cheek in thought, using her wand to twirl a few strands of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail.</p><p>“You lot should be ashamed of yourselves,” she said finally. “I hope you realise that.”</p><p>*</p><p>“How are we supposed to remember all this!” Daphne moaned during one of their revision sessions, throwing down her quill and massaging her temples.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Blaise said mournfully, shuffling through his History of Magic notes with glazed eyes.</p><p>Even Theodore, who was the brightest out of all of them as well as the smartest in the year, spare for Draco and Hermione, was finding revision difficult.</p><p>“I hate Charms so much,” he stated, trying desperately to get his pencilcase to move around the table. It just wiggled an inch or so before lying back on the desk.</p><p>“Will you all shut up!” Keziah cried. She needed all her concentration for the potion she was practising. From what she could remember, the Potions exam needed a forgetfulness potion and failure wasn’t an option.</p><p>“Why are you stressing so much about potions?” Daphne snorted. “You’ve got this in the bag. You should be revising Herbology like me.”</p><p>“I’ll just steal Theodore’s notes later,”</p><p>“Umm, no you won’t,” Theodore objected.</p><p>“Relax. I’ll give them back.”</p><p>Across the room, Draco was also revising, though it seemed more like he was teaching his friends.</p><p>“Come on Crabbe,” he groaned. “You need to learn this if you want to go to the next year with me!”</p><p>Daphne sniggered unkindly.</p><p>“I almost feel sorry for him,” she smirked.</p><p>“I don’t,” the other three chorused in unison.</p><p>*</p><p>About a week before the exams were due to start, a note was delivered to Keziah. It was small and so insignificant that she didn’t notice it until Daphne picked it up and read it out loud.</p><p>“Your detention will take place at eleven o’clock tonight. You will meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall. Professor M. McGonagall.”</p><p>“Wow,” Blaise said, snatching the note to read it himself. “You get in trouble for sneaking out at night so they give you detention at night. Smart.”</p><p>“Brilliant,” Keziah muttered, crumpling the note in her fist. She had forgotten about her detention. “Guess I’m sleeping in tomorrow.”</p><p>“You can’t,” Daphne said. “We have potions and I don’t think Snape would like it if you didn’t come to class. You’d just get another detention.”</p><p>“Merlin’s sake,” Keziah grumbled, smashing her face against the table cloth.</p><p>*</p><p>At eleven o’clock that night, Keziah pulled on her cloak and tied up her shoes, dreading what was to come. Draco was waiting for her in the common room. He looked even sulkier than usual.<br/>“Let’s get this over with,” Keziah grunted. Draco made a noise but followed without complaint.</p><p>The portrait who always told Keziah off was strangely silent that night. The only noise was the distant whispers of the ghosts who roamed the castle.</p><p>Filch was waiting in the Entrance Hall, his slimy grin wide as he called them over.</p><p>“Rethinking sneaking out are you?” he croaked.</p><p>“Save it, Filch,” Keziah snapped. “You can lecture when the others get here.”</p><p>A vein pulsed in the caretaker’s forehead, but apart from that, he kept quiet. Even with her thick cloak, the night air chilled her to the bone. Her eyes widened when she saw Harry and Hermione appear with Neville in tow. She’d forgotten that Neville also had detention. </p><p>“Follow me,” said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. “I bet you’ll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won’t you, eh?” he continued, leering at them. “Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It’s just a pity that they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I’ve got the chains still in my office, keep ‘em well oiled in case they’re ever needed —”</p><p>“How the hell were you ever hired,” Keziah snapped, interrupting him. “Dumbleodor’s mad for even thinking about hiring a bitter, sour old man like you. It’s not like you even have magic as an excuse to keep you around.”</p><p>Filch’s face widened, his bulbous eyes bulging out of his face. Draco grinned nastily while the Gryffindors gasped.</p><p>“You nasty wench,” Filch gasped, pointing a crooked finger at her. “This temper’ll be knocked out of you by what’s to come. I promise you that.”</p><p>Keziah decided to stay silent. Neville kept sniffing and she felt even worse for the boy. He didn’t deserve to be here.</p><p>The moon was bright above but the clouds came scudding across the skies, throwing them into the gloomy darkness. It was the perfect night for spooky happenings. Goosebumps rose all over Keziah’s body and not just from the cold.</p><p>“Is that you Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started!”</p><p>Hagrid’s voice boomed out in the silence, so loud that Keziah jumped right into Draco. He squeaked and shoved her away. Filch glared at them both.</p><p>“I suppose you think you’ll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well think again boy — it’s into the Forest you’re going and I’m much mistaken if you’ll all come out in one piece.”</p><p>At this, Neville let out a little moan and Draco stopped dead in his tracks.</p><p>“The Forest?” he repeated, and he didn’t sound quite as cool as he usually would. “We can’t go in there at night! There are all sorts of things in there! Werewolves, I’ve heard.”</p><p>“It’s not a full moon, genius,” Keziah grumbled, although she heartily agreed with her classmate. The moon indeed was gibbous, a chunk of its circle hidden in the darkness.</p><p>“Close enough,” Draco hissed.</p><p>Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, with Fang bounding at his heels. Hagrid kept a crossbow and a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulders. Her heart rate sped up when she saw the canine. Although he no longer terrified her, she still didn’t trust it.</p><p>Her attention was broken by the light source drifting away. She watched in dread as  Filch hobbled away, wheezily cackling under his breath.</p><p>“I’m not going into that forest,” he said in a panicky voice. Hagrid scoffed.</p><p>“Hagrid, I agree with him,” Keziah spoke up, trying desperately to keep her voice even. </p><p>“What do yer mean?” Hagrid asked. </p><p>“That Forest is called the Forbidden Forest for a reason,” she reasoned. “It’s dangerous in the daytime and I don’t even want to know what comes out at night! There might not be werewolves but there are acromantulas. And I’m pretty sure there are trolls too!”</p><p>“Yeh’re going in if yeh want to stay at Hogwarts,” Hagrid said fiercely. “Yeh’ve done wrong and yeh pay for it.”</p><p>“Not by putting our lives in danger!” Keziah cried. “Hagrid, you can’t make me go in there.”</p><p>“Sure I can,” Hagrid said cheerfully. “Hold this, Harry.”</p><p>A very surprised Harry was suddenly holding Hagrid’s crossbow while the gamekeeper leaned down and grabbed Keziah by the waist. She was hoisted onto Hagrid’s shoulder like a sack of flour.</p><p>“Hagrid,” she warned. “Put me down!”</p><p>Hagrid ignored her as he led the group to the forest before stopping right before the black edge of trees. He dropped Keziah back onto the ground, where she stood dizzily. </p><p>“Now listen carefully, ‘cause it’s dangerous, what we’re gonna do tonight an’ I don’t want anyone takin’ risks.”</p><p>Keziah spluttered, looking over at Harry and Hermione who were avoiding her eyes. </p><p>“I’d rather clean cauldrons for Snape than do this,” she spat.</p><p>Hagrid ignored her.</p><p>“Look there,” he said instead, pointing at a splotch of silvery stuff, “see that stuff shinin’ on the ground? Silvery stuff? That’s unicorn blood. There’s a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We’re gonna try an’ find the poor thing. We might have to put it out of its misery.”</p><p>“Are you crazy?” Draco said, his voice squeaking an octave higher. “What if whatever’s hurting the unicorn hurts us?”</p><p>“There’s nothing in this forest that’ll hurt yeh if yeh’re with me or Fang,” Hagrid said resolutely. Keziah rolled her eyes at Hagrid’s arrogance but she kept quiet. “Right, now, we’re gonna split inter two parties an’ follow the trail in diff’rent directions. Stick to the trail, remember!”</p><p>“I want Fang,” said Draco quickly, staring at Fang’s long teeth. Keziah sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.</p><p>“I’ll go with him,” she said slowly, her nails digging into her palm.</p><p>“Alright,” Hagrid shrugged. “But I’ll warn yeh both. He’s a mighty coward. So, Harry, Hermione and I will go one way an’ you two and Neville can take Fang the other. Now if any of us finds the unicorn, we’ll send up green sparks, right?”</p><p>Keziah scowled as Hagrid made them practise shooting up green sparks, as well as red ones which signified danger. Once he was satisfied, they began walking until they came across a fork in the road.</p><p>“Well, there yeh go,” Hagrid said grimly. Keziah looked back at Harry but she was disappointed to see that he was already walking away behind Hagrid.</p><p>She took a deep breath to steady herself and then nodded back at Draco and Neville who looked equally as nervous.</p><p>“C’mon guys,” she whispered. Draco shook himself and moved forward almost too purposefully, Fang bounding at his heels. Neville hung back though. Keziah held out her hands, smiling kindly. Uncertainly, the boy took one of her hands and they walked like that.</p><p>“Aren’t you pathetic?” Draco sneered when he looked back and saw the two. “Holding hands? What next? Asking for your mummy?”</p><p>Neville looked down at the ground.  All of a sudden, Keziah remembered that the boy didn’t have parents, not properly.</p><p>“Says you,” she snorted. “Weren’t you practically shitting your pants back at the hut? Talking all about your father?”</p><p>“That’s different,” he snapped, smoothing down any stray hairs which had been pulled out of place by the forest.</p><p>“Yeah right.”</p><p>“Can you both shut up?” Neville whispered, shivering as he clung onto Keziah. “I think the forest can hear us.”</p><p>“Hear us?” Draco scoffed. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, Longbottom.”</p><p>“I’m serious, Malfoy,” </p><p>“So am I, Longbottom,” Draco said in a mocking voice.</p><p>“Stop teasing him, Draco,” Keziah hissed. “I can hear something.”</p><p>They all stopped in their tracks, including Fang, and waited. Some distance away, they could hear a slithering noise, like a snake moving through the grass. Or perhaps — a cloak.</p><p>“W-what’s that?” Neville trembled.</p><p>Keziah shushed him, straining to listen if the figure was coming closer or going further away. Then, Neville screamed. She whipped around to see Draco had jumped the other boy, who’d panicked and sent red sparks flying into the air.</p><p>“Draco!” Keziah shouted, a bit too loudly. “Get off him!”</p><p>Draco did get off, hunched over from laughter. Neville was shaking badly and Keziah felt her heart hurt. She moved over to him and hugged him tightly.</p><p>“You’re alright, Neville,” she said soothingly. “It was just this idiot.”</p><p>A great crashing sound suddenly ripped through the eerie quiet and Draco screamed.</p><p>“I told you,” he cried. “I told you! There are werewolves in this forest!”</p><p>“Or it could be Hagrid,” Keziah said dryly. “Neville sent up red sparks, remember?”</p><p>“Right,” Draco coughed, calming down and straightening up. </p><p>Sure enough, Hagrid came through the thicket, brushing aside the thinner trees like they were strands of grass.</p><p>“Who sent up sparks?” Hagrid bellowed. “Are any o’ yeh hurt?”</p><p>Draco turned a green colour, backing away slightly.</p><p>“No,” Keziah said simply, suppressing a smirk as she spoke. “Draco just scared Neville while my back was turned so he sent up sparks. I told him to stop but...”</p><p>Hagrid looked completely furious. He snapped his large fingers and Fang came bounding to his side, no longer the gambolling dog racing around the castle lawns. Instead, he looked quite scared.</p><p>“Come with me, all o’ yeh. We’re changin’ groups.”</p><p>Neville and Keziah glanced at each other and followed Hagrid without a word, while Draco shuffled closely behind so he wouldn’t be attacked by a stray beast.</p><p>“You’re in for it this time,” Keziah whispered, smirking at Draco who sent up a rude hand gesture. “That’s not very noble of you.”</p><p>She grinned at his scowl.</p><p>“Can you just shut up?” he hissed, kicking a stray stone.</p><p>It rolled away from the path and hit what seemed like a gnarled branch. Instead, it was a dark clump of some sort of creatures which scurried away on contact. Draco looked mildly sick and quickened his pace. Keziah fought to keep a straight face, still watching him. She wondered if it was worth it to make another comment but shut up from a dark look from Hagrid.</p><p>After what felt like a lifetime, they got back to Harry and Hermione. The two both looked beyond relief as Keziah and the others stepped into the clearing. Hagrid explained the situation with a darkened frown before he clapped his hands together, eager to salvage whatever time they had left of the detention. Keziah sighed. She’d been hoping Hagrid would just give up and let them all go back to the dorms.</p><p>“We’ll be lucky ter catch anythin’ now, with the racket you two were makin’. Right, we’re changing groups — Neville, you stay with me an’ Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an’ these two.”</p><p>Hagrid bent down to whisper something to Harry, who nodded. Draco rolled his eyes, looking back at the trail.</p><p>“Don’t be like that,” Keziah snapped. “It’s your fault we have to start over.”</p><p>Draco opened his mouth to argue but then thought better of it. He huffed and sank down on a tree stump.</p><p>So Keziah, along with the boys, began walking back into the forest. They walked for nearly half an hour, getting deeper and deeper into the woods.</p><p>“Do you think we’ll need any breadcrumbs?” Keziah privately whispered to Harry who snorted slightly.</p><p>The pools of unicorn blood got thicker as the path got harder to follow, full of trees that leered above them. There were splashes of blood as though the wretched creature had been thrashing around in its pain. Keziah spotted a clearing ahead, just visible through the twists of an oak older than perhaps Dumbledore himself.</p><p>“Look,” she said at the same time as Harry. “The unicor — oh.”</p><p>The poor animal was lying dead across the dark leaves, its slender limbs stuck out at weird angles and its mane was spread like a silk sheet.</p><p>Keziah stepped forward, the leaves crunching underneath her trainers, but a slithering noise made her falter. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered and a figure emerged from it, crawling across the ground like a beast of some sorts.</p><p>It was shrouded in a cloak in such a way that left Draco, Harry and Fang transfixed. As the figure — Quirell — began to lean down, Keziah reached around for something large and solid. Just as Quirrel began to drink the unicorn’s blood, she grabbed a branch around the same size as a baseball bat. Perfect.</p><p>Draco let out a horrifying scream and bolted along with Fang. Quirrel raised his hood, unicorn blood dribbling down his front, and got to his feet, approaching the two children remaining.</p><p>Harry staggered backwards as Quirrel got even closer. Keziah bit her lip and steadied the branch, eyes half-closed in preparation.</p><p>Crack!</p><p>The branch collided with Quirrel’s skull at the same time as a pair of hoofs leapt above them. Keziah watched in awe as a half-man, half-horse grabbed Quirrel’s body and flung it away through the trees. She privately hoped the blow was fatal.</p><p>For now, she stared at the centaur in reverence. It looked pretty young, his human half no older than twenty-five. He had white-blonde hair and a palomino body.</p><p>“Are you both alright?” he asked, pulling Harry to his feet.</p><p>Harry stammered out an answer, although the centaur didn’t reply. His eyes were unnaturally blue, like great pale sapphires. He stared carefully at them, his eyes lingering on the scar on Harry’s forehead, which was an angry red.</p><p>“Harry, what happened to your scar?” Keziah gasped.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Harry said weakly, touching it.</p><p>The centaur made a snuffling noise as he scoped the perimeters.</p><p>“You are the Potter children,” he said finally. “You had better get back to Hagrid. The Forest is not safe at a time like this, especially for children like you. Can you ride? It will be much quicker this way.</p><p>“My name is Firenze,” he added as he lowered himself down onto his front legs so Harry and Keziah could clamber onto his back. Keziah winced. So centaurs were just as uncomfortable as regular horses.</p><p>There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Two other centaurs came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving.</p><p>“Firenze,” thundered the black-haired centaur. Keziah guessed he was Bane. “What are you doing? Have you no shame? Not one but two humans on your back? Are you a common mule?”</p><p>“Do you realise who this is?” Firenze pleaded. “These are the Potter children. The quicker they leave the forest, the better.”</p><p>“What have you been telling him?” growled Bane. “Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?”</p><p>The red-haired centaur pawed the ground nervously.</p><p>“I’m sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best,” he said gloomily.</p><p>Bane kicked his legs back in anger.</p><p>“For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It’s not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our Forest!”</p><p>Firenze reared onto his hind legs. Keziah yelped and gripped Harry’s waist tightly, desperate not to fall off.</p><p>“Do you not see that unicorn!” Firenze shouted at Bane. “Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must.”</p><p>Without another word, Firenze whisked around and plunged through the trees, Keziah and Harry hanging on the best they could.</p><p>“Why’s Bane so angry?” Harry asked. “ What was that thing you saved us from?”</p><p>Firenze slowed to a walk, warning them about low-hanging branches. He didn’t answer though. They walked in silence for so long that Keziah wondered if the centaur would tell them anything, or just leave them with Hagrid. Firenze stopped, however, just as they passed a particularly dense patch of trees.</p><p>“Do you know what unicorn blood is used for?”</p><p>“Erm, our potions book don’t exactly mention it,” Keziah said slowly. “But I’ve read somewhere that it’s incredibly evil.”</p><p>“It’s a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn,” said Firenze. “Only one with nothing to lose and everything to gain would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.”</p><p>The moonlight turned Firenze as silver as the unicorn’s blood. Keziah shuddered at the gruesome comparison her subconscious had conjured up.</p><p>“But who’d be that desperate?” Harry asked. “If you’re going to be cursed forever, death’s better, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Not everyone sees it that way, Harry,” Keziah said darkly.</p><p>“You’re both correct,” Firenze agreed, “if all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else, something that will bring you back to full strength and power, something that will mean you can never die. Potter children, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?”</p><p>“The Philosopher’s Stone!” Keziah and Harry chorused at the same time.</p><p>“Of course, the Elixir of Life! But I don’t understand who —” Harry continued.</p><p>“Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?”</p><p>“You mean Voldemort, right?” Keziah asked, forcing down the rising fear. “I can’t tell from your mysterious centaur speak.”</p><p>Firenze didn’t respond, but his dour face was as good an answer as any.</p><p>“Harry! Keziah! Are you alright?”</p><p>Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid and the others puffing behind her.</p><p>“We’re fine,” Keziah said, sparing Harry the burden of talking. He didn’t look up to it. “The unicorn’s dead, by the way. It’s back in the clearing.”</p><p>“This is where I leave you both,” Firenze murmured. “You are safe now.”</p><p>Keziah slid off his back, landing clumsily.</p><p>“Good luck, Potter children,” the centaur said sadly. “The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.”</p><p>He turned around and cantered away, leaving Keziah even colder than before.</p><p>*</p><p>The walk back to the castle was quiet. Neville was still sniffling, although he yawned far more. Draco was paler than usual if that was possible. Harry looked close to tears and Hermione’s features were taut with worry.</p><p>Filch picked them up near castle, mouth opened to make some sort of comment. However, he shut up as soon as he saw their faces.</p><p>“What’ve you done to them?” he asked Hagrid suspiciously, poking Neville’s cheek as though to check if he was real.</p><p>“Nothin’,” Hagrid responded grumpily. “Take ‘em back to their dorms.”</p><p>Filch nodded, but as soon as the castle doors closed, he turned to them with a harsh scowl.</p><p>“Well?” he snapped. “Get back to your dorms!”</p><p>Keziah nodded and grabbed Draco’s wrist, dragging him through the side corridor. She couldn’t wait to sink down into her bed and forget the whole night.</p><p>“What happened back there?” Draco asked so quietly that Keziah nearly didn’t hear it.</p><p>“Where?”</p><p>“Back in the clearing, with that hooded figure?”</p><p>Keziah smirked at the blonde.</p><p>“Aww, do you actually care about me, Draco?” she crooned, breaking into a full-on, toothy grin.</p><p>Draco flushed, pulling up his hood.</p><p>“Of course not. I just want to know how much of a chicken you were back there?”</p><p>“Well, I didn’t run away screaming or anything. I’m far too cowardly for that. Instead, I just hit the person on the head with a branch,” she shrugged. “Way less cool.”</p><p>Draco’s eyes were as wide as coins.</p><p>“You didn’t seriously hit whoever that was with a branch?”</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>The boy didn’t respond. He just looked back at the paintings and walked faster. Keziah shook her head and moved to follow him.</p><p>He stopped just outside the common room wall.</p><p>“Keziah — I —” Draco paused, swallowing. “I’m glad you’re alright.”</p><p>He uttered the password and disappeared up into his dorms, by the time Keziah moved. She was surprised.</p><p>“You’re not so bad, yourself,” she said softly to herself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So Draco isn't a complete git</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah hated whoever invented the idea of exams in summer. Wizards had potions to grow extra heads but couldn’t even bother to get airconditioning. Ridiculous.</p><p>The school robes didn’t help either, sticking to Keziah’s back as she tried to remember the origins of the levitating charm before her brain melted and sweated right out of her.</p><p>“Snape is a bastard,” Blaise said through gritted teeth as they all but ran away from the dungeons, having finished the potions exam by the skins of their teeth.</p><p>“It wasn’t that bad,” Keziah shrugged, stifling a yawn.</p><p>“Says the one with her potions set,” Theodore snorted. “Though he does have a sense of humour.”</p><p>“Making us try and remember how to brew a Forgetfulness Potion isn’t funny,” Daphne growled. “I still have frog guts stuck under my nails.”</p><p>“I told you those acrylic nails were a stupid idea,” Theodore said triumphantly.</p><p>Daphne stuck her tongue out at the boy, flicking some frog guts at him. He blanched, dodging the slime. Instead, it splattered against a gloomy painting of some sort of monk.</p><p>“Sorry,” Keziah said. “Sir?”</p><p>“It’s fine,” the portrait sighed. “I’ve been in this castle for half a millennia. Some slime won’t kill me.”</p><p>“Obviously,” Blaise laughed. “You can’t exactly die. Can you?”</p><p>“Sadly not,” the portrait said sadly, walking away.</p><p>“Cheerful,” Keziah said dryly.</p><p>Suddenly Blaise gasped dramatically, bouncing up and down on his heels.</p><p>“You okay, Zabini?” Daphne asked slowly, poking his arm.</p><p>“I’ve had the best idea ever,” he said. “That guy should meet Professor Binns! They could out-bore each other.”</p><p>“I mean Professor Binns isn’t that bad,” Theodore said. “Hey, Keziah, wake up!”</p><p>Keziah jolted. She had nearly nodded off, leaning against one of the giant hourglasses. Ever since the night of detention, although she refused to admit it, nightmares had plagued her. They weren’t the sort that you could explain unless you wanted to be dragged off in a straitjacket.</p><p>She was so sick of being trapped in a mirror, watching Harry face-off Quirrel. The flames would lick at her clothes, so hot they nearly felt real. A chilling snarl would ring in her ears, the product of a faceless evil. Several times, Keziah swore that Harry and Quirrel changed into herself and a strange woman clothed completely in white.</p><p>She was oddly familiar like Keziah should’ve known who she was and unless she didn’t remember, she’d meet a grisly end. There was also, of course, the ominous voice hissing that she would never be truly part of the story, but that couldn’t mean anything, could it?</p><p>Instead of facing <em>that</em> every night, Keziah just stayed awake, her eyes burning as she read over the creation of self-stirring cauldrons and ways to combat deadly plants. The only problem with the solution was that her body had to get that rest somehow.</p><p>“You’re still not sleeping, are you?” Daphne said worriedly.</p><p>“I’ll be fine, Daphne,” Keziah said confidently, resisting the urge to rub her eyes.</p><p>“After dinner, we’re all taking a week-long nap,” Blaise declared. “Grades and classes be damned.”</p><p>Theodore held up an imaginary goblet, swaying slightly as though drunk.</p><p>“Here here,” he said.</p><p>Keziah opened her mouth to say something but was distracted by the appearance of Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were all hurrying down from the main staircase. Hermione was waving around a piece of parchment and talking, while Ron shook his head. Harry was ignoring them both, rubbing his scar miserably.</p><p>“Guys, I’ll see you all at dinner,” she said slowly, patting Theodore’s shoulder.</p><p>“Harry again?” Daphne groaned, sharing a nasty look with the boys.</p><p>“Yep, thanks for understanding — Hey! Harry!”</p><p>Keziah nodded goodbye to her friends before rushing over to the Gryffindor trio.</p><p>“Hello Keziah,” Hermione said pleasantly. “We’re going to lie down by the lake. Want to join us?”</p><p>“Sure,” Keziah said. She was sure that this was the day when Harry and the others faced off against Quirrel. Despite her nightmares, Keziah was determined to be apart of the climax. Dreams didn’t mean anything, anyway.</p><p>“We just had our History of Magic exam. It was the worst thing ever,” Ron said, ruffling his hair. “At least we’re free for another week.”</p><p>“Worst thing ever?” Keziah grinned. “Try a Potions exam with Snape.”</p><p>“We already had that, plus you’re a Slytherin. Snape isn’t nearly as hard on your lot,” Ron said.</p><p>“Yeah, but we have to prove that Snape isn’t the only reason we’re good at Potions,” Keziah explained. “Also, Snape hates me as much as Harry. He doesn’t take away points because that ruins his whole thing. Favouring his own house and all that.”</p><p>“Each to his or her own, I guess,” Ron shrugged, sprawling on the grass with a happy sigh.</p><p>“The exam was much easier than I thought it would be,” Hermione said, interrupting Keziah and Ron’s conversation. “I needn’t have learnt about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising Elfric the Eager.”</p><p>“I hated learning about all those anti-werewolf legislations,” Keziah said, pulling over Hermione’s parchment of notes to point out the many flaws in the Wizarding systems.</p><p>“Come on girls,” Ron said lightly. “No more revision. Stop talking about exams and relax. Harry —” Ron paused to nudge the boy in question. Keziah watched Harry worriedly, wishing she could do something to make him feel better. “— you should look more cheerful. We’ve got a week before we find out how badly we’ve done. There’s no need to worry yet!”</p><p>Harry rubbed his forehead furiously in response.</p><p>“Careful Harry,” Keziah prompted. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”</p><p>“I just wish I knew what this means,” he burst out angrily in response. “My scar keeps hurting. It’s happened before, but never as often like this.”</p><p>“Just go to Madame Pomfrey,” Hermione suggested.</p><p>“I’m not ill,” Harry scowled. “I think it’s a warning... like danger’s coming...”</p><p>“It’s too hot for this,” Ron said. “Just relax.”</p><p>“I think Harry’s onto something,” Keziah spoke up. “Something’s about to happen. I can just feel it.”</p><p>“Guys, come on! Hermione’s right. The Stone’s safe as long as Dumbledore is around. We’ve never had any proof that Snape found out to get past Hagrid and Quirrel’s too much of a wimp to even dare. Also, I think Neville would play Quidditch for England before hagrid would let Dumbledore down.”</p><p>“You Gryffindors are so trusting,” Keziah hummed, lying her head onto her arms as they stared up at the sky.</p><p>“At least we aren’t evil,” Ron said, wiggling his fingers at her.</p><p>“Watch your mouth, Weasley,” Keziah grinned.</p><p>An owl fluttered above them, a scroll clamped in its mouth. It disappeared around one of the turrets, leaving the bright blue sheet above them brilliantly clear. The leaves swung in the gentle breeze, the lake lapping gently a few feet away. It was the perfect day. Keziah frowned. Why did the best days have the worst things happen?</p><p>Harry jumped to his feet, scaring a butterfly that had settled next to Keziah’s fingertips. She looked at him, biting back the sleepiness cocooning itself around her.</p><p>“Harry, what’s the matter?” she asked urgently.</p><p>“I’ve just thought of something,” he said, eyes wide in panic. “We’ve got to go see Hagrid. Now.”</p><p>“Why?” panted Hermione, struggling to keep up with the Potter siblings.</p><p>“Don’t you think it’s a bit odd,” Harry said, scrambling up the grassy slope, “that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it’s against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don’t you think? Why didn’t I see it before?”</p><p>“What are you on about?” Ron asked.</p><p>“It makes sense, Ron,” Keziah said. biting her lip in anticipation.</p><p>Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his hut, his wild hair tugged into a bun and his sleeves rolled back as he shelled peas. A gigantic pitcher of sparkling apple juice was glistening on the table, ice cubes the size of Keziah’s hand drifting at the top.</p><p>“Hullo,” he said with a smile. “Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?”</p><p>“On it,” Keziah said, slipping through the door and grabbing four glass tumblers, along with straws. When she re-emerged, Hagrid was deep into a story.</p><p>“— pub down in the village. Mighta been a dragon dealer, mightn’t he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up.”</p><p>Keziah sucked her drink, wishing the straw was less noisy. The apple juice was heavenly, though.</p><p>“What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?” Harry asked, sinking down next to Hagrid’s bowl of peas.</p><p>“Mighta come up,” Hagrid said, frowning as he tried to remember. “Yeah... he asked what I did an’ I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked what sorta creatures I look after... so I told him... an’ I said what I’d always wanted was a dragon... an’ then... I cannae remember too well, ‘cause he kept buyin’ me drinks... Let’s see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an’ we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it. Yeh see he didn’t want it goin’ to any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy...”</p><p>“And did he... did he seem interested in Fluffy?” Harry asked, his voice wavering.</p><p>“Well, yeah, how many three-headed dogs d’yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy’s a piece o’ cake if yeh know how to calm him down. Just play him a bit o’ music an’ he’ll go straight off ter sleep —”</p><p>Hagrid broke off horrified. Keziah knocked back the rest of her drink as Hagrid tried to recover from his slip-up. It was too late, though.</p><p>The children didn’t speak at all until they’d stepped back into the Entrance Hall. It felt much colder and drearier after the sunny grounds.</p><p>“We’ve got to get to Dumbledore,” Harry said. “Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy and it was either Snape, Quirrel or Voldemort under that cloak! Must’ve been easy after he got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn’t stop him. We just need to find his office.”</p><p>They looked around as if a sign would pop up, complete with flashing lights and neon lettering. Keziah hadn’t the faintest idea where to even begin, apart from the presence of either a gryphon statue or two sarcastic gargoyles.</p><p>“What are you three doing inside?”</p><p>McGonagall’s voice rang out against the hall as she hurried up to them, arms full of books.</p><p>“Summoning Merlin’s spirit,” Keziah said cheerfully. “Care to join us, Professor?”</p><p>McGonagall’s face twitched and her hands spasmed, as though she was about to drop all her books.</p><p>“I don’t have time for your nonsense, Miss Potter,” she said curtly “Now if you excuse me, I’ve got somewhere to be.”</p><p>“We want to see Professor Dumbledore,” said Hermione, shooting Keziah a withering look.</p><p>“See Professor Dumbledore?” McGonagall repeated, as though it were a very suspicious thing to seek out the headmaster.</p><p>“Yep,” Keziah said. “Do you know him? Old bloke, long white beard? Crooked nose? Awesome dress sense?”</p><p>“Enough, Miss Potter!” McGonagall snapped. “Why would you need to see him?”</p><p>“It’s sort of a secret?” Harry said. Keziah face-palmed.</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago,” she informed them coldly. “He has received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off to London at once.”</p><p>“He’s gone?” Harry said frantically, his voice cracking. “Now?”</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time —”</p><p>“But this is important,”</p><p>“Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?”</p><p>“Don’t you get it, Professor?” Keziah yelled, having had enough. “It’s about the Philosopher’s Stone! Somebody’s going to steal it. Perhaps this very week if we’re not careful.”</p><p>The books fell to the floor with a crash. Keziah stopped down to help McGonagall collect them but the woman stopped her.</p><p>“How on earth do you know about all this?” she spluttered.</p><p>“Doesn’t matter, but moving back to the stealing thing, we —”</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow,” she assured them. “I’m not even going to ask how you know about the Stone but I can assure you that it is safely protected. It is not for children to worry about these things.”</p><p>“But, Professor!” Harry protested.</p><p>“Potter, I know what I’m talking about,” she said shortly, picking up the rest of the books and snatching away the ones Keziah had grabbed. “I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine.”</p><p>But they didn’t.</p><p>“It’s tonight, I’m sure of it,” Harry said as soon as McGonagall was well out of earshot. “Snape’s going through the trapdoor tonight. Quirrel too. They’ve found out everything they need and now Dumbledore’s out of the way. They sent that note. I’ll bet the Ministry is going to get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up.”</p><p>“But what can we —”</p><p>Keziah stepped on Ron’s toe cutting him off as she pointedly cleared her throat. Snape had walked up to them, wearing an oddly twisted smile.</p><p>“Good afternoon,” he said silkily. “You shouldn’t be inside on a day like this.”</p><p>“A bit hypocritical coming from a man who spends his free time in a coffin,” Keziah said sweetly.</p><p>Harry, Ron and Hermione all inhaled sharply, staring at Keziah as though she had sentenced herself to death. Although, considering the circumstances, perhaps she had.</p><p>Snape’s face dropped into a vicious snarl, his hands twitching towards his robe as if he wanted to curse her.</p><p>“Come. With. Me.”</p><p>None of the Gryffindors moved to contradict Snape, still stunned by Keziah’s words. As Snape turned around, gripping her wrist so tightly that it hurt, the others came to life.</p><p>Harry moved forward to stop Snape but Hermione pulled him back, biting her lip. Ron made chopping motions at his neck mouthing ‘<em>You’re dead,</em>’ worriedly.</p><p>“It’s fine, guys,” Keziah whispered, eyeing Snape to make sure he didn’t see her.</p><p>‘<em>I’ll keep an eye on him,</em>’ she finished soundlessly, jabbing her thumb up at him.</p><p>*</p><p>No matter how many times Keziah stepped foot into Snape’s office, it never prepared her for how creepy it looked.</p><p>“This is why people think you’re evil,” she said aloud, pointing at a jar of preserved dead-guy-bits. “It’s the aesthetic you have going. Maybe if you brighten up a bit, people will like you?”</p><p>“I have no care for the opinions of imbecilic school children,” Snape snapped, his hands curling over the edge of his chair. “What I do care about is why a first-year thinks she has the authority to disrespect a member of staff so openly and freely?”</p><p>“I just believe in the notion that what goes around come around,” Keziah shrugged, trailing her fingers along the desk separating her and Snape. “Sir.”</p><p>“I do hope you realise that no matter what garbage who speak about, you’re getting into serious trouble,”</p><p>“Of course,” Keziah responded jauntily, as though this was a pleasant conversation taking place in St James’ Park instead of a gross, dungeon office.</p><p>“Then you’ll have no problem starting detention this evening after dinner,” Snape said smoothly.</p><p>Keziah’s smile tightened. Detentions with Snape lasted hours upon end. If she was stuck in the man’s office all night, she wouldn’t be able to face Quirrel with the others. <em>You’re disappointed about the chance of <span class="u">not</span> dying</em>, a small voice sighed in her head. Keziah ignored it.</p><p>“How about we do my detention now?” she asked. “Then I wouldn’t be allowed to enjoy the beautiful sunshine with my friends? A suitable punishment, I’m sure.”</p><p>Snape’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.</p><p>“What are you up to, Potter?”</p><p>“Professor, do you seriously believe that a titchy first-year such as myself could possibly be up to something?”</p><p>“I know what you Potters are like,” Snape responded sourly. “People may say you’re like your mother but I can safely say that isn’t true in any medium. You’re exactly like your father; lazy and rude with no respect for anybody but yourself.”</p><p>Keziah blinked. She knew what Snape was saying wasn’t true but the words still hurt, like needly arrows pinching at her.</p><p>“And perhaps you, Professor, are a coward?” Keziah asked softly. “You haven’t managed to let go of whatever bitterness who may’ve held towards my father and so, instead of being a mature adult about it, you come after his orphaned children with no recollection of him spare for whatever people tell us. You project your hurt onto the two people in the world who wouldn’t be able to contradict you. Bullying children? How lovely.”</p><p>Snape didn’t respond, although he looked like he was slapped.</p><p>“I’ll be going now,” she said finally after the silence had stretched on so long that it made her skin crawl. Snape didn’t try to stop her as she walked away, leaving the door open as she left. Keziah felt a minuscule victory in knowing the teacher would’ve had to get up to close the door after her.</p><p>“Do you have some superpower, getting away from some of the worst teachers in our school?” Daphne asked around a mouthful of garlicky potatoes that evening.</p><p>Keziah had been telling her friends all about her encounter with Snape, omitting most of the actual conversation. According to them, Keziah had called Snape a vampire and escaped with all her limbs and bodily organs fully functioning. End of story.</p><p>“I am magnificent,” she grinned. “Aren’t I?”</p><p>The smell of baked haddock and roasted vegetables filled the hall with its aroma as the whole student body dug into their meal. Keziah was eating faster than usual, a mental plan building up in her mind like a castle made of Exploding Snap cards: powerful if done correctly, but very likely to blow up in her face.</p><p>The Weasley twins were nearly directly across the hall from her, laughing with their friends as one of the girls threw carrot chunks into the twins’ mouths. Keziah took a deep breath, swallowed the last piece of her food and got up, crossing her fingers.</p><p>“I’ve got to go talk to somebody quickly,” Keziah said, pointing her thumbs backwards. Blaise and Theodore shared a look and Daphne groaned.</p><p>“Harry again?” she sighed, stabbing her fish aggressively.</p><p>“Nope. The Weasley twins.”</p><p>“I swear, Keziah if I wake up with blue hair tomorrow or something, I will kill you,” Daphne said in a gasping laugh, shaking her head.</p><p>“If she does, can you take a picture for us?” Blaise laughed.</p><p>“Do you need to even ask?” Keziah pouted, waving goodbye and walking over to the other side of the hall.</p><p>“Fred, George! Can I talk to you guys for a second?” she called.</p><p>The laughter and rough-housing stopped as the twins’ group of friends all looked at her. Fred nodded in confusion, stepping up slowly like he was expecting something bad. George followed, equally as slow.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” Fred asked.</p><p>“Yeah, come to yell at us again?” George continued.</p><p>“Nope,” Keziah smiled, popping the p. “I’ve come to ask for your map.”</p><p>Fred and George’s jaws dropped at the same time. They scrabbled to recover.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” George asked, smiling with what he thought was a jaunty, winning smile. It was not.</p><p>“I know about your map. The one which maps the whole castle and tracks all our footsteps. Sound familiar?”</p><p>“How did you even find out about it?” George said incredulously.</p><p>“And what do you want with it?” Fred added.</p><p>“I have my ways,” Keziah smiled mischievously. “Also, my intention with the map are none of your concern. But I solemnly swear that I’ll be up to no good.”</p><p>“You know about that too?” Fred gaped.</p><p>“Would I be talking about it if I didn’t?”</p><p>“What happens if we don’t give you the map? What’ll you do?” George asked patronisingly. “Yell at us again?”</p><p>“You know,” Keziah sighed, shaking her head. “You’re right. I should just give up now. But I think Percy would love the idea of his little brothers owning a map that shows off all the school’s secret passages. Your mother too!”</p><p>“Excuse me?” Fred blanched.</p><p>“Or you could just give me the map and everybody else will be none the wiser?”</p><p>“If we do give you our map,” George said, enunciating every word slowly and clearly, “would anything happen to us after you’re finished with it?”</p><p>“Probably not,” Keziah shrugged.</p><p>“And if you got caught, we wouldn’t be dragged into anything?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>Fred and George stared at each other for a few moments, an entire conversation taking place with their eyebrows. Finally, George rolled his eyes, huffed and dug his hand into his robes and pulled out a large sheet of parchment.</p><p>“Give this back by tomorrow,” he said firmly. “Would that suit you, <em>your highness</em>?”</p><p>Keziah snatched the map hastily, stuffing it into her pocket.</p><p>“I do think that my <em>mischief</em> has been <em>managed</em>,” she grinned, patting the boys’ cheeks. Their stunned expressions were enough to keep her bouncing all the way to her friends, who were starting on dessert.</p><p>“Have fun?” Theodore asked. “Get what you wanted?”</p><p>“Mhm,” she hummed and stole a shortbread biscuit from Blaise’s plate, stuffing it into her mouth.</p><p>“Do you have to keep doing that?” Blaise sighed, picking another biscuit from the bowls that had appeared down the length of the tables.</p><p>“No, but I want to.”</p><p>“Then it would be my pleasure to oblige,” Blaise said sarcastically with a little bow.</p><p>In return, Keziah curtsied, still grinning.</p><p>“Are you two finished or should I start throwing things?” Daphne cut in.</p><p>The rest of dinner went by and Keziah’s anticipation was building up, her legs jiggling as she sat. As they left, she spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione talking quietly, aside from everyone else.</p><p>She broke away from her friends and headed up to them, her hand clasped around the Marauder’s Map tucked in her pockets.</p><p>“Did you guys miss me?” she asked.</p><p>“You’re not dead?” Ron gasped. “Now I’ll have to cancel the tombstone we ordered.”</p><p>“We can bury you in it instead if you keep going with this,” Keziah replied cheerfully.</p><p>Hermione held out her palm to quiet them both.</p><p>“Stop it! Both of you!” she snapped.</p><p>“Sorry, Hermione,” Ron and Keziah mumbled sheepishly in unison.</p><p>“Keziah, we’re stopping Quirrel tonight,” Harry whispered. “We’re sure either he or Snape is going to be there tonight.”</p><p>“I’m going with you,” Keziah said resolutely.</p><p>“What?” Harry gasped. “It’s too dangerous. Keziah — you could be expelled if we’re caught!”</p><p>“Better than letting Voldemort take over,” she shrugged. “Plus, I already told you, nobody messes with my little brother and gets away with it.”</p><p>Harry smiled, looking down shyly.</p><p>“How are you going to come with us, though? The Invisibility Cloak isn’t that big and you’re all the way down in the dungeons,” Hermione pointed out nervously.</p><p>“I’ve got it covered,” Keziah said, patting her pockets.</p><p>“What’s in there?” Ron asked.</p><p>“I promised I wouldn’t say,” she said truthfully. “I’ll meet you by Fluffy at midnight. Hopefully.”</p><p>Keziah didn’t even want to think about what would happen to her if Quirrel saw her waiting.</p><p>Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione and back at Keziah before nodding determinately. There was no turning back. This was it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Had to split this chapter because it was 8.7k</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW/CW: Blood and semi-explicit description of injury. Also, vomit (sort of)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah had never seen a clock move so slowly as she waited for midnight to come. The map was still in her pocket, burning against her thigh as she tried to fully process what was about to happen.</p><p>It was weird. She had been living in the Wizarding World for nearly a year now but the dangers and implications of being Harry Potter’s sister hadn’t completely hit her until now.</p><p>Keziah drummed on the cover of the book she was reading to calm her mind, reading the same sentence over and over but the words wouldn’t sink in. She might as well have been trying to read a passage done in Mermish.</p><p>“Exams are over, Keziah,” Daphne said gently. “Relax.”</p><p>“Yeah, you’re stressing me out!” Blaise said. “And Blaise doesn’t get stressed out.”</p><p>“Unless there’s a broom involved,” Theodore laughed, ruffling Blaise’s hair.</p><p>“Exactly,” Blaise nodded. “He gets me.”</p><p>Keziah smiled weakly at her friends, chewing the inside of her cheek. It was around a quarter to eleven and she was bursting to move. Daphne fidgeted beside her, stretching out as she yawned.</p><p>“I’m going to head up now before I fall asleep on the sofa,” she said, jabbing her thumb backwards. “Keziah, you should come too. There’s no reason for you to pull another all-nighter.”</p><p>“I’m going too,” Blaise stifling a yawn. “I just didn’t want to be the first one. Theo? Keziah?”</p><p>Theodore held up his hand to be pulled off the sofa, which Blaise did. The three of them all looked down at Keziah expectantly.</p><p>“I’ll come upstairs soon,” she said.</p><p>Daphne raised an eyebrow, scoffing lightly.</p><p>“I promise I won’t be here all night Daph,” Keziah said pleadingly.</p><p>“I can’t make you take care of yourself, Keziah, but I wish you would,” she sighed in the end, turning around and disappearing through the dormitory doors. Theodore nodded at Keziah with a small wave and left too.</p><p>“She says this stuff because she cares about you. You know that right? We all do,” Blaise said quietly.</p><p>Keziah didn’t respond, staring into the fire like her life depended on it. Blaise sighed, patting her shoulder before he went too. She let out a shudder, burying her head in her hands. The visions in her dreams had come back, plaguing her mind like locusts.</p><p>The clock chimed eleven and she sat straight, unsheathing the Marauder’s Map. There were only a few people left in the common room, so she didn’t have to worry about someone nosy looking in.</p><p>She unfolded the parchment and took a deep breath.</p><p>“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,” she whispered in rapture as ink spread across the yellowy paper, like spider webs creeping to every corner of the map. Words blossomed at the top, grand and curly green.</p><p class="align-center">
  <em>‘Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs</em>
</p><p class="align-center">
  <em>Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers </em>
</p><p class="align-center">
  <em>are proud to present:</em>
</p><p class="align-center">
  <em>THE MARAUDER’S MAP’</em>
</p><p>Keziah could barely breathe as she dragged her fingers over the details of the Hogwarts Castle and Grounds. Her eyes swooped down to the dungeons where there was a minuscule dot labelled ‘Keziah Potter’ sat in the Slytherin common rooms. She nearly squealed but reigned herself in.</p><p>“This is magnificent,” she breathed. She noticed there was a passageway just down the hall, which spiralled up to the fourth floor. From there, she could sneak down without bumping into Filch, who was scouring the Entrance Hall at the moment. She grinned, silently fist-pumping.</p><p>Keziah waited a little bit longer until she had to leave, still nervous about what was to come. Finally, as the clock came to half-past eleven, she got up.</p><p>She inched towards the common room door and turned the knob slowly, waiting for the moment when somebody turned around and stopped her. It didn’t come. The other students barely noticed her as she slipped out, or if they did, they didn’t care.</p><p>Keeping her eyes trained on the map, she walked down the corridor, her footsteps echoing loudly. She cringed at the noise. Keziah watched as a different tiny dot, namely Quirrel’s, left his office. He’d be long gone by the time she reached the third floor. Was it wrong to feel a surge of relief at the notion?</p><p>“Look who’s here again?”</p><p>Keziah jumped about three feet into the air when the portrait spoke. It was the same one that chastised her whenever she was on a midnight adventure. It was a painting of a middle-aged, golden-haired woman dressed in pure white robes that had green linings. She sat in what looked like a Celtic apothecary.</p><p>Keziah looked down at the map which had a minuscule ink figure of herself. Ink-Keziah pointed its tiny wand at the portrait.</p><p>“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Keziah muttered. She wasn’t sure if the painting would even accept whatever password she was about to offer up. Readying her wand, she looked down at the map again. A speech bubble appeared next to Ink-Keziah, saying ‘<em>Oscail dom</em>’.</p><p>Keziah repeated the words, pointing her wand at the portrait, which smirked.</p><p>“She finally figures out there’s an easier way to sneak about that slapping her feet down a corridor and waking up the whole castle,” the portrait scoffed. The green linings of her robes started glowing and shuffled to reveal several runes:<em> ᚩᛈᛖᚾ</em>.</p><p>Keziah watched excitedly as the portrait swung open, displaying what looked like a ladder. Tucking away the map for the moment, she stepped in and pulled the portrait closed behind her. The walls around lit up green, like those cheesy glow-in-the-dark stickers Keziah used to have plastered up on her bedroom walls.</p><p>She gripped the first rung of the ladder and gasped as the entire world turned sideways. All of a sudden, Keziah was crouching on a weird bridge of sorts. Holding out her arms to touch the now-horizontal walls, she began walking.</p><p>Miraculously quickly, Keziah reached the end of the ladder. As her feet touched the last rung, the world flipped yet again and she had less than a second to cling tightly onto the ladder, lest she falls to her death.</p><p>“That,” Keziah gasped, pulling herself safely onto level ground “was epic! Take that, Indiana Jones.”</p><p>Before she stepped out into the corridor, Keziah consulted the map again. Filch was now lurking around the second floor and Mrs Norris was skulking near the Ravenclaw tower. The only problem was Peeves, who was bouncing around the staircase Keziah needed to get to the third floor.</p><p>Pacing the floor, she wondered what to do. According to the map, Harry, Ron and Hermione had just left their common room. God was smiling upon Keziah that night, thankfully, as Peeves got bored of bouncing around and drifted away to a different staircase.</p><p>Breathing a silent thanks, she snuck down the stairs and stopped at the door which held Fluffy. It was narrowly ajar as if Quirrel had meant to close the door but got distracted half-way through.</p><p>Keziah moved from foot to foot, following Harry and his friends with her fingers as their footsteps moved cautiously through the map. As they stood before Peeves, she folded the map up again, taking another deep breath.</p><p>“Mischief Managed,” she said and like a magical etch-a-sketch, the map was wiped away. She tucked it into her pocket and ran her fingers through her hair. There was suddenly a ruffling of fabric and Harry appeared out of the darkness, rushing towards her.</p><p>“Keziah,” he whispered. “You made it here alright!”</p><p>He hugged her tightly and Keziah sensed the unsaid worries. <em>‘I’m glad Quirrel and Snape didn’t get you.’</em></p><p>“We’re here too,” Ron’s voice said as he pulled the cloak off himself and Hermione.</p><p>“Shush, Ron, it’s a family moment,” Hermione hissed, elbowing him.</p><p>Harry let go of Keziah and turned to stare at the open door, his expression unreadable.</p><p>“Well, there you are,” he said quietly. “They’ve already gotten past Fluffy.”</p><p>He looked back at Keziah and then Ron and Hermione and swallowed.</p><p>“If you want to go back, I won’t blame you,” he said. “You can take the cloak and go. I won’t need it now.”</p><p>“We do this together, Harry,” Keziah said, hugging his shoulders, “or not at all.”</p><p>“Yeah, don’t be stupid,” Ron said.</p><p>“We’re coming with you,” Hermione finished.</p><p>Harry pushed open the door.</p><p>As the door creaked lowly, a rumbling noise met their ears. All three of the dog’s heads turned towards them, growling madly. Keziah already felt faint.</p><p>“They always talk about tickling a sleeping dragon but never mention the three-headed dog,” Keziah hissed, glancing over at Hermione.</p><p>“How can you make a joke at a time like this?” she gasped.</p><p>“Better than crying, am I right?” Keziah gave a strained grin. The other girl huffed and looked back at Fluffy.</p><p>“What’s that at its feet?” Hermione whispered.</p><p>“It looks like a harp,” said Ron. “Snape must’ve left it there.”</p><p>“Classy,” Keziah muttered, her lips twitching.</p><p>“It must wake up the moment you stop playing,” Harry murmured. “Here goes nothing...”</p><p>He put a wooden flute to his lips and blew. It was as similar to a tune as Hagrid was to regular size, but from the first note, Fluffy began to sleep. Harry hardly drew breath and slowly, the dog fell asleep, slumping to the ground so fast that the ground shook.</p><p>“Keep playing,” Ron warned Harry as they crept towards the trapdoor. Fluffy’s hot, smelly breath was disgusting as it brushed against Keziah’s neck.</p><p>“I think we can pull the trapdoor open,” Ron said, peering over the dog’s back, seeing as he was the only one tall enough to do so. “Want to go first, Hermione?”</p><p>“No, I do not!”</p><p>“All right.” Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog’s legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.</p><p>“What can you see?” Hermione said anxiously.</p><p>“Nothing. It’s just black. There’s no way of climbing down so we’ll have to just drop.”</p><p>Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.</p><p>“You want to go first? Are you sure?” said Ron. “I don’t know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep.”</p><p>Harry handed the flute over but Keziah snatched it before Hermione could take it. In the few seconds of silence, Fluffy growled and twitched but quietened down as soon as Keziah started to play.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Hermione asked. Keziah shook her head and gestured for the trio to carry on.</p><p>It was funny, how she was volunteering to spend more time with a deadly three-headed dog but still got shivers from being in the same room as Fang. Still, Keziah couldn’t let the narrative go off the rails because she went into the Devil’s Snare before Hermione. If something happened, at least it would happen to the spare.</p><p>Harry climbed over the dog and looked down through the trap door. He lowered himself down until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then, he looked at Keziah and Ron.</p><p>“If anything happens to me, don’t follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?”</p><p>“Right,” echoed Ron, while Keziah nodded, as they both stared at Harry and then, each other.</p><p>There was a distant whistling sound as Harry fell until a funny flump sounded. Keziah swallowed, glancing tensely at the other two.</p><p>“It’s okay!” Harry’s voice yelled from inside like he was shouting from a great distance away.</p><p>Without any hesitation, Ron nodded and jumped in. Hermione squeaked and held out her arm belatedly as she tried to stop a person who was no longer there. After a few moments, Harry’s voice called out to Hermione, who also jumped.</p><p>Suddenly, there was only one. Uneasily, Keziah watched Fluffy, whose tail beating lightly against the floor as he slept.</p><p>Harry’s voice echoed from down below.</p><p>Keziah had only stopped playing the flute for a second but it was enough.</p><p>As she tried to jump through the trapdoor, Fluffy growled dangerously, slowly getting up and turning around until he was looming over her. She felt nothing but blind terror. She couldn’t move as her heart pounded in her throat. Somehow, through her shaking fingers, Keziah was still holding onto the flute. She tried to bring it to her trembling lips but the movement was like a trigger. With too much speed for a creature so big, Fluffy grabbed her, his machete-like teeth digging into her leg.</p><p>It immediately erupted into insurmountable pain, like someone had lit a series of hydrogen bombs across her limbs. She screamed as the dog threw her up into the air. She landed on one of her legs and Keziah wondered if it was possible to hear her bones shatter. She dared to look done and nearly threw her dinner up. Her legs were a bloody mess, and Keziah was almost sure she could see her bone.</p><p>Fluffy was still growling, his six eyes burning as he reared for a second attack.</p><p>A burst of adrenaline shot through Keziah. She dashed between his legs, not so much jumping as free falling into the trapdoor, her leg wet, sticky and warm as it curled involuntarily. Her breath came in wheezing gasps that rattled her entire body.</p><p>Keziah was somewhat glad for her soft landing as she flopped onto the soft bed of plants. It provided a smidgen of comfort, her entire lower half feeling like a bolt of lightning had been shot through it. She barely registered Harry, Ron and Hermione talking and the appearance of blue flames, which warded the Devil’s Snare’s tendrils away from her.</p><p>“Keziah, are you alright?” Hermione gasped.</p><p>“What does it look like, Granger?” Keziah coughed. “I’m peachy.”</p><p>Ron’s face was as white as a sheet and Harry looked just as bad as they sprang down into the ‘snake pit’, dragging Keziah into a stone passageway. A series of blue torches came to life, bathing them in creepy firelight.</p><p>Her legs had gone numb now, tingling unpleasantly as the other three examined it. An unpleasant green hue crept down from her wound.</p><p>Hermione was trembling nearly as much as Keziah, her hands shaking furiously as she cleaned most of the blood with her robes. Harry looked as sick as Keziah felt, his lower lip trembling. It hit her harder than Fluffy that they were all children. They were all small kids, stuck in a small corridor offset from the main school, terrified and now injured.</p><p>“This is bad,” Hermione mumbled. “Guys, we should turn back.”</p><p>“No,” Harry said immediately. “Quirrel and Snape could be bringing Voldemort back right now!”</p><p>Hermione looked ready to argue and Ron’s face suggested he would back her up if prompted. Keziah sighed deeply, her chest hurting as she did.</p><p>“Hermione, I think Harry’s right,” she breathed. “I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“I know,” Ron burst out, dashing back into the Devil’s Snare room and emerging with a small coil wriggling feebly in his hand. “May I?”</p><p>Keziah nodded as he ripped a long strip of cloth from her robes and bandaged it securely around the wounds. Splotches of red bloomed from them instantly. Grimacing, Ron tied the plant coil gently around the make-shift bandages so they didn’t loosen.</p><p>“Can you walk?” Harry asked anxiously.</p><p>“Hope so,” Keziah said bravely and let herself be hoisted up. Gingerly, she put weight on the leg. A shot of pain crackled through her and she buckled, only to be steadied again.</p><p>“Need help?” Hermione smiled.</p><p>They walked like that for a while, alternating between who supported Keziah. There was a steady drip-drip sound that trickled behind the walls and Keziah wondered whether, if you broke down the barricading walls, you’d find a bathroom or a series of pipes.</p><p>“Do you hear that?” Ron whispered, breaking the silence.</p><p>Keziah strained her ears. A soft rustling and clinking sound was coming up ahead, like a far-off flock of pigeons each holding a jangling keyring.</p><p>“Do you think it’s a ghost?”</p><p>“Sounds like a flock of birds with keys,” Keziah said.</p><p>“I mean... I do hear wings.”</p><p>“There’s a light ahead — I can see something moving!”</p><p>They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright things, fluttering and tumbling above them. Keziah squinted and gasped.</p><p>“These are keys,” she said. “They must be for the door!”</p><p>She faced the heavy wooden door directly across from them.</p><p>“But how do we... Broomsticks!” Harry pointed at two broomsticks propped up. “We’ve got to catch the key to the door!”</p><p>“But there are hundreds of them!” Hermione reasoned.</p><p>Ron dashed across the room and inspected the lock.</p><p>“We’re looking for a big old-fashioned one, probably silver, like the handle!” he called.</p><p>“Keziah and I will stay down here,” Hermione said. “You two fly up and get the key. Do hurry.”</p><p>Keziah and Hermione watched in surprise and amazement as Harry and Ron swooped through the rainbow flurry of feathers.</p><p>“Still angry that he’s the youngest Seeker ever?” Keziah muttered, smirking.</p><p>Hermione looked down in embarrassment, pushing Keziah gently.</p><p>“I was just mad that he was bending the rules!” Hermione defended sheepishly.</p><p>“Like we’re doing now?”</p><p>Hermione didn’t answer. At first, Keziah thought she was too flustered by her questions but then she saw the girl was staring at Harry who was speeding towards a big silver key. With a nasty crunching sound, he managed to pin it firmly against the stone wall. The other three’s cheers bounced around the chamber.</p><p>The boys landed quickly by the door, while Keziah and Hermione made their way across the room as fast as they could. Keziah winced slightly as they hobbled, the makeshift bandage starting to irritate.</p><p>“Ready?” Harry asked, gripping the door handle. They all nodded and he pulled the door open.</p><p>The next chamber was so dark they couldn’t see anything at all. But, as they stepped into it, light flooded the room to reveal an amazing sight.</p><p>They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, black chessmen towering over them in a sort of blockade. Facing them from across the board, there were the white pieces.</p><p>“Now what do we do?” Harry whispered, glancing nervously at the chessmen.</p><p>“Isn’t it obvious,” Ron said. “We’ve got to play our way across the room.”</p><p>Behind the white pieces, there was another door.</p><p>“I don’t suppose we could just walk across the board and pray that nothing happens to us?” Keziah asked with an anxious laugh.</p><p>“Don’t think so,” said Ron. He walked boldly up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight’s horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed at the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.</p><p>“Do we — er — have to join you to get across?”</p><p>The black knight nodded, a great screeching noise joining its movements. Ron clenched his jaw and turned back to them.</p><p>“I think... I think we’ve got to take the place of four of the black pieces...”</p><p>Harry, Keziah and Hermione stayed silent as they watched Ron think. Finally, he looked up.</p><p>“Now, don’t be offended or anything, but none of you is that good at chess and Keziah, thanks to you being injured and all —” he trailed off, blushing.</p><p>“Don’t be sorry,” Harry said immediately. “Just tell us what to do.”</p><p>“Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop and Keziah, take the other one. Hermione, go next to Harry instead of that castle.”</p><p>“What about you?”</p><p>“I’m going to be a knight,” said Ron. Keziah imagined the light filtering around the room forming a spotlight, with the dust coming together as a cape. She smiled at the mental image.</p><p>The chessboard seemed to be listening because the two bishops hopped off the board, followed by a castle and a knight, leaving four empty spaces.</p><p>“How do I stand?” Keziah asked.</p><p>Ron looked around the room, muttering to himself. He rushed over to the knight that had just exited the board and wrestled with it for a second. He came back with a stone sword that came up to Keziah’s waist.</p><p>“What’s this for?”</p><p>“Use it to hold yourself up,” he explained. “It’s all we have.”</p><p>Keziah nodded and took her place with a little difficulty. At least it would all be over soon, she reasoned.</p><p>“White always plays first,” Ron explained peering across the board.</p><p>Sure enough, a white pawn slid out two squares, its faceless front staring at them. Keziah wasn’t sure if she liked chess any more.</p><p>As Ron send out black pieces, Keziah couldn’t help but think of how similar this was to sending troops out into battle. Even though the pieces were similar, they seemed creepily human.</p><p>“Keziah, move diagonally two squares to the left and take out that pawn.”</p><p>Like a magnet, Keziah was dragged over to the square, where a pawn stood. As soon as they connected, the pawn cracked all over and threw itself into the corner.</p><p>“Do you think it’s okay?” Keziah asked worriedly.</p><p>“As long as we’re one step closer to winning,” Ron said, looking shaken, “It doesn’t matter.”</p><p>Keziah may have had a problem with Ron’s words, but as she watched the white pieces, she changed her tune. Any time there was an opportunity to take out a black piece, the white chessmen showed no mercy. Soon a huddle of black pieces was lying slumped against the wall.</p><p>Ron was their saving grace, taking out as many white pieces as they had lost black ones. Twice, he’d only noticed his friends were in danger in the nick of time. Keziah’s leg was starting to sting now, the numb tingling wearing off. She had a feeling that once it wore off completely, things would be a lot worse for her.</p><p>“We’re nearly there,” Ron muttered suddenly. “Let me think — let me think...”</p><p>The white queen turned her blank face towards him.</p><p>“Yes...” Ron said softly, “it’s the only way... I’ve got to be taken.”</p><p>“NO!” Harry and Hermione yelled. Keziah stayed quiet.</p><p>“That’s chess!” snapped Ron. “You’ve got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she’ll take me — that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!”</p><p>“But —”</p><p>“Do you want to stop Snape or not?”</p><p>“Ron —”</p><p>“Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll have the Stone!”</p><p>Ron looked at Keziah, his mouth set in a thin line. He raised a single ginger eyebrow, his eyes filled with resolution. She nodded quietly as if to say that she understood.</p><p>“Ready?” Ron called, his face pale but determined. “Here I go — now, don’t hang around once you’ve won.”</p><p>He stepped forward and the white queen pounced. She struck him hard on the head and Ron fell like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Hermione screamed but stayed on her square, trembling even harder than when she was cleaning Keziah’s wound.</p><p>Keziah watched as Harry moved unsteadily three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry’s feet. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the doorway clear.</p><p>“What do we do about Ron?” Harry asked, pointing out their friend’s unconscious body.</p><p>“I don’t...” Hermione faltered, biting her lip.</p><p>“I’ll stay with him,” Keziah decided. “I’m a dead weight and this means I can check on him. You two go ahead.”</p><p>Harry opened his mouth to argue but Hermione stopped him, her eyes brimming with tears.</p><p>“Take care of yourselves,” she said and pulled Harry away through to the next chamber.</p><p>Perhaps it was good luck, or bad luck, that Harry and Hermione left because just as the tails of Hermione’s robes disappeared through the door, Keziah’s leg buckled and she nearly fell to the floor.</p><p>Seething in pain, she half-crawled, half-walked over to Ron, clinging onto her sword for dear life. The red-head was lying curled around the foot of a black chess piece, a thin trail of blood pouring from his nose.</p><p>“Ron?” Keziah whispered, shaking him gently. Thankfully, she could see the rise and fall of his chest, which meant he was, at least, awake. He didn’t respond, though.</p><p>Back home, Keziah remembered a workshop she’d done, when a team of paramedics had come into school and taught them basic first-aid procedures. She quickly set to moving Ron’s body into the recovery position. Despite his thin frame, he was quite heavy as she edged his lanky limbs into place.</p><p>Now all she could do was wait. Sitting down, with only the company of an aching leg and an unresponsive Ron, the chess room looked much scarier. The pieces were still scattered around, some broken in half and other lying limp like corpses. Were they corpses, now that they had been beaten?</p><p>Keziah didn’t know how long she had sat there for when Hermione burst back into the room, an empty bottle in her hand. It dropped and shattered on the floor when she saw Ron.</p><p>“Is he alright?” she asked worriedly, swooping down on the two red-heads.</p><p>“He’s alive, I can give you that,” Keziah said flatly. I didn’t matter that she knew Ron would be alright, she still couldn’t help the panic washing around inside her like acid.</p><p>“We need to get out of here now! Harry’s gone after Snape. Or Quirrel,” Hermione explained, kneeling over Ron.</p><p>For a second, Keziah imagine that Hermione was settling to kiss Ron bu then —</p><p>She smacked him! And then slapped his across his face again, mumbling furiously.</p><p>“Hermione!” Keziah yelped. “What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”</p><p>“I’m —” Hermione paused to slap Ron again. “— waking this self-sacrificing idiot up. Get up, Ron! You CANNOT die on me. Who’ll teach me to lose then? Who’ll bring me down when I’m being bossy? Harry’s too scared to do all that, but you’re not.”</p><p>Suddenly, Keziah was feeling very, very uncomfortable. She hadn’t signed up for a session of third-wheeling, with Hermione pouring out her heart to an unconscious boy. But, it would be a little heartless to tell her to stop, wouldn’t it?</p><p>Eventually, Hermione calmed down and stopped slapping Ron, moving onto shaking him instead.</p><p>“Is this necessary?” Keziah asked after a while. “You do realise how long we’ve been here?”</p><p>“What do you suggest we do?” Hermione snapped haughtily.</p><p>“Is there a spell for reviving people? Or maybe a countercurse or...”</p><p>“Keziah! You’re a genius!”</p><p>“That’s a lot coming from you,” Keziah grinned.</p><p>Hermione drew her wand and cleared her throat like she was about to conduct a giant orchestra. Instead, she tapped Ron and murmured a spell. Like — magic, Keziah supposed, Ron sat up, coughing wheezily. His eyes were glazed over for a few moments as he registered what was going on.</p><p>“My head hurts,” he moaned dazedly. “And so does my face. Why does my face hurt?”</p><p>“The fall hurt you pretty badly,” Hermione said quickly, glaring back at Keziah who raised her hands defensively.</p><p>“Where’s Harry?”</p><p>“He’s facing off Quirrel right now,” Keziah said. “We need to get out of here and find Dumbledore. Now.”</p><p>Hermione nodded, pulling Ron to his feet. He shook his head and swayed unsteadily. Then promptly vomited to the side.</p><p>“We also need to find Madame Pomfrey,” Keziah added. Hermione looked down at her bandaged leg and back up in disbelief.</p><p>“No kidding.”</p><p>The three children struggled to get back through the chambers. Keziah’s leg was hurting badly, so much that the pain was making her dizzy. Ron had had a concussion, walking clumsier than a drunk person. Feeling bad for Hermione, who had to deal with two injured peoples, Keziah stuck to her sword-walking-stick and let Ron be assisted.</p><p>As they stumbled back through to the Devil’s Snare chamber, a passage opened up, covered in cobwebs. Hermione and Keziah looked at each other and nodded grimly. This was their way out. It was old and dirty but in no time, Keziah, Ron and Hermione burst out into the Entrance Hall.</p><p>Dumbledore had just entered the hall.</p><p>“Where the bloody hell have you been?” Keziah yelled as soon as she saw him. “You got that owl ages and ages ago and didn't notice something was wrong until now!”</p><p>If Dumbledore was angry about her rudeness, he didn’t show it.</p><p>“Harry’s gone after him, hasn’t he?”</p><p>With a single glance at their faces, Dumbledore rushed past them, leaving the children stood in the Entrance Hall, tired, dusty and bloody.</p><p>“We need to get to the Hospital Wing,” Hermione said after a while.</p><p>Keziah suddenly realised that she was still standing in the Entrance Hall, bleeding out while Ron was suffering from brain trauma.</p><p>“It’s on the first floor, right?” Keziah asked, wondering if there was a way to get up without using stairs. She didn’t need any extra exertion from her leg at the moment.</p><p>“I could go and get Madame Pomfrey,” Hermione offered. “She could magick up a stretcher?”</p><p>“Hurry.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keziah had never taken a good look at the Hospital Wing. It was just another part of the castle, with a kind, but over-bearing, matron and lots and lots of beds.</p><p>Now that she was stuck inside it, Keziah had started to notice much more about it. The windows covered one of the walls, reaching from the ceiling to a few inches above the ground. That meant that once you woke up, you were hit with the full glory of the morning sun and the Hogwarts’ grounds. It was beautiful.</p><p>The walls, unlike most hospital places, were painted a pale lilac colour with several wizarding medical postered plastered up on the wall. Keziah had read ‘Dragon Pox- Get it before it gets you’ around six times and ‘Sign up for St Mungo’s Junior Healing Program Now!’ around eight.</p><p><em>‘Hadn’t Madame Pomfrey heard of reading material?’</em> Keziah wondered as she stared miserably at her leg.</p><p>Last night was a little bit of a blur, from Madame Pomfrey rushing down the stairs with a stretcher and Hermione’s worried face swimming through her mind rent-free. By the time she’d been properly settled into of the beds, Pomfrey had forced her to take a blood-replenishing potion and then a dreamless-sleep potion.</p><p>Keziah had woken up at around five in the morning to her leg tingling again, wrapped tightly in blue bandages. An antiseptic pain-relief salve had been left on her bedside table, as well as another vial of blood-replenishing potion.</p><p>“Take as soon as you wake up and note the time,” she read the note taped onto the vial aloud and looked down at the tiny potion.</p><p>Shrugging, she uncorked it and drank the red liquid in one. The taste nearly made her spit it out.</p><p>“Eurgh,” she grimaced, wiping her mouth and putting the vial down with more force than she needed. “What’s in this stuff?”</p><p>Because Madame Pomfrey was probably still asleep, she got no answer. Instead, she jotted down the time and sat back in her bed, stretching lazily.</p><p>Although it was tingling, her leg didn’t hurt anymore. It just felt stiff, like she had a chunk of metal sewn onto her waist.</p><p>A snort interrupted her thoughts. Keziah sat up straight and looked around, wondering who on earth had made a noise. She calmed down when she saw Harry fast asleep on the bed next to her. He looked sickly as he rested, but at least he was peaceful. She smiled gently.</p><p>That was earlier. Now, Keziah was mentally begging Harry to wake up. It was now just past eight o’clock and she was bored with a capital B. Madame Pomfrey was up and cleaning some of the bedpans, humming as she did. Keziah recognised it as one of Celestina Warbeck’s songs. She groaned.</p><p>“What’s the matter, dear?” the matron called. “Is your leg troubling you? Wait just a moment, I need to change the dressings anyway.”</p><p>“Thank you, Miss,” Keziah called back, turning away so she could make a face.</p><p>Since it was a Saturday, Keziah doubted Daphne, Blaise or Theodore would be awake before ten. She knew for a fact, thanks to rooming with the girl for a whole year, that Daphne was physically incapable of leaving her bed before nine o’clock on weekends. To try and change that fact usually ended in disaster.</p><p>“Now, Miss Potter,” Madame Pomfrey started uneasily, marching up to Keziah with her arms full of salve and vials.</p><p>“What happened?” Keziah asked immediately, preparing herself for the worst.</p><p>“The injuries you received from Hagrid’s <em>pet</em>,” said Madame Pomfrey, saying the last word like it disgusted her “was very severe. The bones and nerves in your leg are irreparably damaged and your other leg has received some side effects from the dog's bite. The dog is most certainly venomous and since you were attacked almost an hour before you came to me, the worst had already set in.”</p><p>“Which means...” Keziah prompted. She needed the information now before her chest tightened anymore from anticipation.</p><p>Madame Pomfrey took a deep breath, her face sympathetic, which meant Keziah feel even worse. She knew what this meant when doctors had this facial expression. She’d seen it when her grandmother had gotten breast cancer and again when her real father hadn’t survived his heart attack. Shewasgoingtodie shewasgoingtodie shewasgoingto —</p><p>“Spit it out!” Keziah shouted desperately.</p><p>“As I said, Miss Potter, the damage is irreversible,” the matron sighed. “The dog’s bite and your fall destroyed too many nerves for any potion or spell to fix. I’m sorry, but I doubt you’ll ever be able to walk unaided again.”</p><p>Keziah had never understood the idea of your ears blocking out sounds until that moment. She could see Madame Pomfrey’s mouth moving as she continued to talk but she couldn’t hear the words. All she could hear was a loud buzzing, like television static, but worse.</p><p>“— Miss Potter?”</p><p>Madame Pomfrey’s voice broke through the fog. Keziah looked up, rocking back and forth as the information refused to process.</p><p>“What do you mean I won’t be able to walk unaided?” she asked slowly. There was no point getting worked up if this all turned out to be minor.</p><p>“For now, while I work with St Mungo’s, you’ll be using a magically-enhanced cane. I’ve sent out an owl to St Mungo’s requesting a physiotherapist to help you adjust during the summer,” said Madame Pomfrey.</p><p>“How does this change things?” Keziah asked, wishing the matron would stop beating around the bush.</p><p>“I suspect you’ll find it quite hard to manoeuvre on the stairs, which means I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore about how you’d move around the school,” she breezed on.</p><p>“What won’t I be able to do anymore!” Keziah yelled, tears choking her words, stopping Madame Pomfrey’s musings in its tracks.</p><p>“Miss Potter, I understand this is a lot to process,” she said gently. “It’ll be a big change from how you are used to living your life and I don’t want to pile everything onto you at once.”</p><p>“I —” Keziah broke off, her words swallowed by tears.</p><p>She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t even know why she was crying. Other people had survived much worse than the loss of a leg so she could too. Madame Pomfrey didn’t try and say anything else. She just bent over Keziah’s leg and tapped the bandages lightly. The wrapping fell away instantly, revealing the wound. It strangely looked several days old. The skin had stretched over and everything!</p><p>Madame Pomfrey noticed her staring and shook a tiny bottle.</p><p>“Dittany heals wounds much faster than most things,” she said, spreading a few drops of dittany over Keziah’s wound. She carried on for a while longer, gently rubbing in potions or salves across the wound before she wrapped a new set of bandages. They were also blue and slightly wet, but as they touched the skin, they hardened like plaster.</p><p>“How was Ron?” Keziah asked quietly.</p><p>“He just had a concussion,” Madame Pomfrey said. “Fixed him up in a few minutes and sent him and Miss Granger on their way. They were very worried about you, you know.”</p><p>“I don’t need sympathy,” Keziah scowled.</p><p>“Then it’s a good thing that’s not what they’re feeling.”</p><p>Keziah didn’t have an answer to that. Instead, she rolled around so she was facing Harry’s unconscious form and she fell into an uneasy sleep.</p><p>*</p><p>“IS SHE ALRIGHT?”</p><p>Daphne’s voice burst through the Hospital Wing like a small canon.</p><p>Keziah’s eyes flew open to see her best friend rushing through the double doors, followed by Blaise and Theodore, who looked equally as worried.</p><p>“Miss Greengrass, this is a medical area,” Madame Pomfrey gasped. “Keep your voice down!”</p><p>“I need to know if my best friend is alright, thank you ver — Keziah!” Daphne broke off half-way with a shrill gasp.</p><p>She weaved around Madame Pomfrey and raced up to Keziah’s bed, eyes trained on the blue bandages.</p><p>“WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?” she screeched. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW IT FEELS TO WAKE UP AND FIND OUT THAT YOUR BEST FRIEND IS IN THE HOSPITAL WING?”</p><p>“How did you even find out?” Keziah asked. “I thought only Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore knew.”</p><p>“Weasley and Granger,” Daphne said dismissively as though it were obvious. “THEY SAID YOU GOT ATTACKED BY A THREE-HEADED DOG WHILE HELPING THEM DEFEAT YOU-KNOW-WHO!”</p><p>“We were really worried, Keziah,” Blaise added softly. Theodore nodded, looking unnaturally pale.</p><p>“Are you going to tell us what happened?” Theodore asked. “Are you going to tell us what exactly you were doing with your brother and his gang this whole year?”</p><p>Keziah looked up at her friends. They stood shoulder to shoulder, an identical expression of mingled worry and relief on their faces. She sighed, burying her face in her pillow. She talked until her throat was hoarse, explaining everything that had happened over the past year, excluding getting sucked into her favourite childhood book series.</p><p>Her friends were all good listeners, not interrupting, though it looked like Daphne wanted to interject several times. As she finished, Blaise let out a long, low whistle.</p><p>“Merlin, how did we not find out about any of this?” he said.</p><p>“Intentional ignorance?” Theodore suggested, cracking a smile.</p><p>“We’re such terrible friends,” Daphne fretted. “We should’ve noticed what was going on!”</p><p>“Relax, guys,” Keziah said. “If it makes you feel better, next time I want to risk my life, I’ll tell you guys first?”</p><p>“We’d prefer it if you didn’t go risking your life at all,” Daphne growled, leaning over and flicking Keziah in the head.</p><p>Madame Pomfrey cleared her throat pointedly in the corner.</p><p>“When are you coming back, anyway?” Blaise asked, patting Daphne on the shoulder as though to calm her down.</p><p>“Erm...” Keziah looked down, suddenly unable to look at any of her friends in the eye.</p><p>“She’ll be here for a bit longer while I sort out the complications with her leg,” Madame Pomfrey said briskly.</p><p>“Complications?” Daphne squeaked in disbelief. “What’s the matter? Keziah?”</p><p>Madame Pomfrey didn’t say anything. She glanced at Keziah as though to say <em>‘It’s your call.</em>’ Keziah took such a deep breath that it hurt her lungs.</p><p>“I’m not going to be able to move around without a walking cane anymore,” she said quietly, tears blurring her eyes again. “I know other people have things worse than me but —”</p><p>She was cut off by Daphne, Theodore and Blaise all hugging her at once.</p><p>“If you finish that sentence,” Daphne said in a watery voice, “I’ll hex you so hard and you know I will. You have the right to be upset, Keziah!”</p><p>“However we can help,” Theodore said quietly, “you know we will. You’re strong enough to get through this but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.”</p><p>“You’ve gotten me all stressed out again,” Blaise whispered jokingly. “And I thought we all agreed that I don’t get stressed out.”</p><p>“You have my deepest apologies,” Keziah said, the hints of a laugh bubbling up. “By the way, you’re telling everyone about this, right?”</p><p>“Oh definitely,” Daphne said solemnly. “The school may know the heroics of Keziah Potter!”</p><p>“Do you think it would be believable to say you karate-chopped You-Know-Who in the face?” Blaise wondered, grinning.</p><p>“Maybe if we came up with a theme song for it,” Theodore said.</p><p>“There was no karate-chopping involved,” Keziah giggled.</p><p>“Well, we just said there was,” Blaise said. “Therefore, it must be true.”</p><p>“How on earth did I end up becoming friends with such imbeciles,” Daphne sighed, smiling faintly.</p><p>“You just got lucky,” Blaise said, nudging her shoulder. Keziah raised her eyebrows when Daphne blushed furiously at the contact.</p><p>“Sorry to break this all up but Miss Potter needs her rest and you’ve all been here for long enough,” Madame Pomfrey said. “You can come back later.”</p><p>Daphne opened her mouth to protest but stopped when Keziah nodded, smiling weakly. She was so glad that her friends had come but, despite resting, she was still exhausted, physically and emotionally. Theodore wrapped his arm around Daphne’s shoulder and bowed his head in farewell.</p><p>“You know we’ll always be here for you, right?” he said quietly before they all left, far quieter than when they’d arrived.</p><p>“You’re quite lucky in a way, Miss Potter,” Madame Pomfrey said, still staring at the doorway. “Good friends are very hard to come by.”</p><p>“I know,” Keziah said softly.</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah had never slept so much in her life. For the next day or so, all she did was either sleep or read some of the books people had dropped off. She finished Great Expectations by Charles Dickens surprisingly quickly. The girl who given it to Keziah didn’t seem like the type to read classical literature, with pastel blue hair, a sleeveless leather jacket over her robes and big, black combat boots.</p><p>As she had predicted, her friends had quickly let the word spread about what had happened under the school. A small fortune’s worth of sweets was donated to her by the student body. It wasn’t uncommon to have someone walk through the double doors and drop something off at both Keziah and Harry’s bedside tables. Some people would stop to talk while others just left without a word.</p><p>At one point, Keziah thought she saw Draco Malfoy appear at the doorframe, but the person disappeared before she could be sure.</p><p>Ron and Hermione visited too, sitting by her bed and filling her in on everything that happened after that night.</p><p>“How’s your head, Ron?” Keziah asked when she first saw them.</p><p>“You’re sat in the Hospital Wing after getting mauled by a three-headed dog and you’re asking how I’m doing?” Ron scoffed.</p><p>“He’s fine,” Hermione said. “How are you doing? Your friend, Daphne, won’t say anything.”</p><p>“I’m alright,” Keziah said hastily. “Honest!” she added, looking at their sceptical faces.</p><p>“I’m best friends with Harry,” Ron said. “I can tell when you Potters are underplaying your trauma for some stupid noble reason.”</p><p>Keziah tried to smile reassuringly but the two weren’t buying it.</p><p>“Why won’t you tell us,” nagged Hermione. “What could be so bad that you can’t tell us? We’re your friends, Keziah, so stop being so stubborn and just tell —”</p><p>“I have to use a walking stick now! The nerves in my leg are so damaged that I won’t be able to walk properly ever again!” she snapped, stopping Hermione in her tracks.</p><p>The girl shut up instantly, her mouth forming an o.</p><p>“Keziah, I didn’t know,” she said quietly, looking away. “I... I’m sorry.”</p><p>“How have you been doing?” Ron asked awkwardly.</p><p>“Peachy,” she said gruffly, unwrapping a chocolate frog and stuffing it all in her mouth to avoid answering any further.</p><p>Ron fell silent, sagging as he looked over at Hermione, who’s eyes fell anywhere except Keziah.</p><p>“We’ll see you later,” he said finally. He got up heavily, staring at Harry painfully for a few seconds before he walked through the doors.</p><p>“I didn’t mean to push you,” Hermione whispered, rushing out after Ron.</p><p>*</p><p>The next time Keziah woke up, she had yet another visitor. Albus Dumbledore himself sat in one of the spindly visitor chairs. In his starry, dark blue robes, he looked painfully out of place among the whites of the hospital beds and pale lilac of the wall. He wore his signature benign smile.</p><p>“Good evening, Keziah,” he said pleasantly.</p><p>“Hello, Professor,” she said. “With all due respect, why are you here?”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t I want to visit one of the students who saved our school?” Dumbledore said, smiling a fraction wider.</p><p>“I didn’t save anyone,” Keziah snapped. “All I did was get myself injured and played the damsel in distress while Harry, Ron and Hermione were off being epic.”</p><p>“That’s not the story I know,”</p><p>“What do you mean, sir?”</p><p>Dumbledore shuffled his chair closer.</p><p>“From what I’ve pieced together, you stuck with your brother and Mister Weasley and Miss Granger throughout this year, trying to help them,” he said. “Sometimes it is not our boldest gestures which show who we are, but the smallest things that make up our true character.”</p><p>“I still don’t get it,” said Keziah. “Of course I’d help Harry! He’s my brother! Voldemort or not, if I’m still standing, he doesn’t get hurt.”</p><p>“Is that why you bashed Quirrel on the head in the Forbidden Forest?” Dumbledore asked mildly as if he’d just asked for the time. “Or why you insisted that you kept yourselves away from the Mirror of Erised, despite seeing something incredibly meaningful to you, I’m sure?”</p><p>“He’s my brother,” Keziah repeated.</p><p>Perhaps when she’d first gotten into this mess, those words would’ve sent her into turmoil as the memories of her old life popped up. Now she knew that no matter what she told herself, she and Harry were interconnected.</p><p>Dumbledore smiled again, his eyes distant for a few seconds.</p><p>“What happened,” she asked, “to Quirrel and the Stone?”</p><p>“I think you’ll be pleased to know that Nicholas Flamel and I agreed to destroy it,” Dumbledore said. “Immortality and gold cause more trouble than they’re worth.”</p><p>Keziah nodded along, looking over at Harry.</p><p>“Can I say something, Professor Dumbledore?”</p><p>“Of course, Keziah.”</p><p>“You set Harry up,” she said quietly. “Maybe not at first, but I refuse to believe that you, one of the smartest people alive and our headmaster, didn’t have a clue of what was happening this year.</p><p>“Are you telling me that a forbidden corridor holding such a dangerous creature could be opened by such a simple spell? Why were the trials so easy that four twelve-year-olds could get past them? Why did Harry get his Cloak back, with a note saying ‘Just in Case.’?”</p><p>Dumbledore lost the twinkle in his eye. A displeased look spread across his face.</p><p>“This whole obstacle course — that’s what it was, don’t deny it — was just a way for you to make sure that Harry is ready for what’s coming. Any smart person knows that Voldemort will come back, whether it be in two years or twenty-two. You want to make sure that Harry is ready. He survived that night for a reason and you’re itching to find out what that reason is.”</p><p>“Keziah,”</p><p>“Am I wrong?” Keziah asked seriously. “If I am, all you have to do is say so.”</p><p>“I was going to say,” Dumbledore said tightly, “that you are certainly more intuitive than I’d first guessed. Because of that, I’m going to assume that you also accept my reasoning.”</p><p>Keziah opened her mouth but then she stopped and thought. Did she want to argue with Dumbledore himself, over events that happened and would happen anyway?</p><p>“He’s my little brother,” she started. “I’m the most he’s got and I want him to grow up like a normal child, not a soldier in a war he doesn’t belong in. But, I also know that that probably won’t be possible and you’re the best hope we’ve all got.”</p><p>“An intelligent wager,” Dumbledore said, the lights reflecting against his half-moon glasses. “You talk like someone much older and wiser, do you know that?”</p><p>“Sometimes I feel like it too,” Keziah nodded, smiling politely.</p><p>“You remind me of somebody I knew in my youth,” the headmaster said distantly. “Let’s hope you don’t turn out as they did.”</p><p>Keziah didn’t know what to say about that. She just looked down at her bedsheets.</p><p>“For the upcoming year, I’ll be doing my best to accommodate for your disability,” Dumbledore said suddenly. “I don’t want any of my students feeling discomforted during their time here. Have a lovely evening, Miss Potter.”</p><p>Like he had turned up, Dumbledore was gone again, leaving Keziah feeling mildly ill.</p><p>*</p><p>The next morning, Hagrid finally turned up. Keziah had been wondering how long she’d be stuck in the Hospital Wing before the half-giant showed up. Madame Pomfrey stared at him suspiciously as he sidled his way across to Keziah.</p><p>Looking too big to be allowed, Hagrid sat down next to Keziah, took one look at her tightly-bandaged leg and burst into noisy tears.</p><p>“This is all my ruddy fault!” he sobbed, tears falling messily into his bushy beard. “I led you kids on! I shoulda stepped in or told someone. Instead — I kept me mouth shut and now yeh leg’s all mucked up an’ Harry had to face You-Know —”</p><p>Hagrid’s words dissolved into crying, his great chest heaving as he bawled into his hands. Keziah looked up at Madame Pomfrey, silently begging the matron to help her. The woman shrugged helplessly, disappearing into her office.</p><p>“Hagrid,” Keziah said. “It’s not all your fault. Lord Moldy Shorts and his pet squirrel would’ve gone through with their plan even if you hadn’t helped.”</p><p>“Don’t say tha’ — wait. What did yeh call him?” Hagrid choked, his tears abruptly turning into laughter.</p><p>“Lord Moldy Shorts,” Keziah said with a deadpan expression.</p><p>“B-but why?”</p><p>“People say that we shouldn’t say his true name out of fear but they never say anything about butchering it so badly that nobody takes it seriously anymore,” Keziah shrugged. “The best antidote to fear and sadness is joy and laughter, after all.”</p><p>“Yeh right, Keziah,” Hagrid smiled. “I was gonna give this ter Harry when he woke up, so yeh could look at it together, but I want ter show yeh somethin’.”</p><p>Hagrid gently brought out a handsome, leather-bound book. On the front, there was a wizarding photo of James and Lily Potter holding two babies, one with red hair and the other jet-black. Keziah could hardly breathe as she turned the pages, watching the wizarding photos of her ‘parents’ grin at her from each page.</p><p>“Sent owls to all of yer parents old school friends, asked em fer photos,” Hagrid mumbled, blushing.</p><p>“Who are these friends?” Keziah asked. “Can you tell me their names.”</p><p>“I’m not sure they’d want meh too,” Hagrid admitted. “It’s bin a long time since they thought about yer parents, to be honest.”</p><p>“Please, Hagrid,” Keziah said. “It’s the least you could do.”</p><p>It was low but if Keziah got a plausible way to contact Remus Lupin and others, she’d be thrilled.</p><p>“Fine,” Hagrid groaned. “But I don’t know if they want anyone to contact them. I got pictures from Emmeline Vance, she’s an Auror now. Then, hmm, I got a few from old Xeno, who found em in his wife’s old treasure box. She’s dead now. I got quite a few of Lily from Jasper O’Dair. Professor McGonagall gave me loads herself, you know.”</p><p>“Anyone else,” Keziah asked excitedly.</p><p>“Most of those are from somebody called Remus Lupin. Tragic man right there. Lost three of his friends all in one night. It was mighty hard to track him down in the first place,” Hagrid sighed. “He was one of yer dad’s best friends, you know. Disappeared though, after he died. Dunno how I got him to respond to my owls.”</p><p>“Thanks, Hagrid,” Keziah smiled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did I represent Keziah's emotions realistically? This is my first time writing a physically-disabled character and I don't want to offend anybody.</p><p>Also the name Jasper O'Dair comes from the user Pengiwen on Wattpad's series about the Marauders' school years. It is the best book series I have read, fanfiction or not. If you like the Marauders, READ IT!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure you want to do this?” Harry asked gently.</p><p>“Ask me that again and I’ll break your legs so you can join me,” Keziah snarled through gritted teeth.</p><p>Tonight was the End-Of-Year feast and Keziah wasn’t missing it. Sure, she hadn’t tried walking since she’d first been put in the Hospital Wing, but there was no time to face your crippling fear of not being able to walk properly again like the present.</p><p>According to Madam Pomfrey, as long as she regularly took pain-relief potions and didn’t stress herself, she’d be fine. Keziah didn’t feel fine. The worst part was how infuriatingly helpful Harry was being.</p><p>The git had just been unconscious for three days and handed a token of his parents yet here he was, being supportive to his sister. <em>The jerk</em>.</p><p>“Miss Potter, if you don’t feel ready, you can stay in the Wing for a few more days,” Madam Pomfrey added, holding the walking cane.</p><p>It was a simple thing, made from mahogany, with a cushioning charm on the handle. According to Madam Pomfrey, it was also charmed to support Keziah and assist her with walking much more than a Muggle cane would.</p><p>“No!” Keziah yelled, her hands and voice shaking. She was tired of being treated like she was fragile, about to break and any given moment. She hated how people looked at her like they were mourning. She <em>needed </em>to be there at the feast.</p><p>The ground was less than an inch away from her but Keziah figured the bottom of the Mariana Trench was closer. Then all you had to was sink through miles and miles of the open ocean until your crushed up body hit the floor. You didn’t have to do anything yourself. Perfection.</p><p>“Keziah?” Harry’s patient voice broke through the haze of panic. His green eyes sank into her vision.</p><p>“Perhaps we should wait another day,” Madam Pomfrey frowned. “Let me help you back into the covers, dear.”</p><p>“I’m fine!” Keziah yelped before she took a deep, slow breath. “I’m fine, Miss. Just give me the cane.”</p><p>“You don’t sound fine,” Madam Pomfrey sighed.</p><p>“Well, I am! I don’t need you taking care of me! I’m not weak! I can do this ON MY OWN!”</p><p>Her outburst rang through the Hospital Wing, leaving a ringing silence behind it. Harry closed his open mouth and Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath.</p><p>“We are just trying to help you, Miss Potter,” she said wearily. “If you cannot appreciate that, I’m afraid I can’t assist you. I’ll be back once you’ve learned some manners.”</p><p>Madam Pomfrey left the cane leaning against the bedframe and vanished into her office. There was the muffled sound of something hitting the wall.</p><p>“What’s really the matter, Keziah?” Harry asked lowly, slipping out of his bedcovers and sitting down next to her.</p><p>“I already told you, I’m —” Keziah breathed heavily, her fringe slipping down over her eyes, “ — fine.”</p><p>“Then why are you crying?” Harry whispered.</p><p>Sure enough, she was. Tears streaked down her face, dripping onto the sheets. Her lower lip trembled with the weight of all her emotions crashing down after being held up by now-broken dam walls. Desperately, she tried to wipe them away, but the tears kept coming and coming, soaking her face and then Harry’s shoulder. Keziah could barely breathe, the air being sucked in by choked hiccups.</p><p>“What if... what if I’m never able to walk properly?” she whispered.</p><p>“You don’t know that, Keziah,” Harry said, stroking her hair. “And even if you aren’t, that won’t change who you are.”</p><p>“I know that!” she snapped.</p><p>“Don’t get angry at me,” Harry chided. “I didn’t do anything. Neither did Madam Pomfrey. I know you’re upset, Keziah, but don’t take it out on the people trying to help you.”</p><p>Keziah lifted her head, messily wiping away the tears. The anger she’d felt had melted away as quickly as it had reared its ugly head.</p><p>“I’m sorry Harry,” she said, wiping her face clean with the bedsheets.</p><p>She took several deep breaths, in and out, until she was ready to talk. Crying had helped. Whatever emotional blockage that had clogged up inside her was gone, leaving her feeling much lighter. She didn’t even remember what she was so upset about.</p><p>“Are you ready to try and walk?”</p><p><em>Oh</em>.</p><p>That was it.</p><p>“I’m scared, Harry,” she admitted, leaning back into her pillows. “Merlin, I’m scared.”</p><p>“I know,” Harry said softly. “But isn’t fear only another reason to try harder?”</p><p>“What is that,” Keziah snorted weakly. “some wishy-washy Gryffindor saying?”</p><p>Harry shook his head, staring out at the window.</p><p>“It’s what Hermione told Neville when he was scared of flying lessons,” he explained. “Except, instead of flying, you’ll be walking. They’re quite similar if you think about it. Both of them take the trust that it’ll work and a leap of faith.”</p><p>“Since when did you get all poetic?” Keziah laughed.</p><p>“I met Dumbledore,” Harry said.</p><p>Keziah hummed, looking away from Harry. She didn’t want to tell him the conversation she had had with the man when she first woke up.</p><p>“So I have to do this, huh?” she said, looking down at her bandaged limbs. After a week, it felt almost familiar to see the brilliant blue dressings covering up half of her legs.</p><p>“If you want to go to the Feast, I’m guessing yes,” Harry shrugged, helping himself to one of Keziah’s sweets. She didn’t even stop him.</p><p>Instead, she leaned over and took up the cane in her right hand, holding it as tightly as she could, so it may save her from drowning in the ocean of doubts and fears swirling in her head.</p><p>Screwing her eyes shut, she put her right foot down on the ground. So far, so good. Now, for her injured leg. It was still numb, the tingling sensation more or less banished thanks to all the potions. She pushed herself up slowly. Everything felt fine.</p><p>“Madam Pomfrey, could you come here?” Harry called suddenly, starling Keziah.</p><p>The cane clattered from her grip, despite how tightly she’d been clinging to it. Almost immediately, she went falling, her injured leg folding beneath her. There was no pain but she simply couldn’t stand. She collapsed back onto the bed</p><p>“Dear!” Madam Pomfrey cried, rushing over. “Why didn’t you call me if you were going to try and walk again!”</p><p>“I’m sorry for how I was acting, Miss,” Keziah sighed.</p><p>“It’s alright, Miss Potter,” Madame Pomfrey said. “You are young and you are scared. Older and stronger wizards have reacted worse when faced with permanent disabilities. People often forget that magic can’t fix everything.”</p><p>“That doesn’t make it right!”</p><p>Madam Pomfrey just smiled gently.</p><p>“Do you want to try again dear? Perhaps without your brother shouting?” she asked. Harry looked down, embarrassed.</p><p>Keziah didn’t answer and just held out her hand. Madam Pomfrey gave her the cane and stepped back.</p><p>Breathing hard, she stood up again.</p><p>“Now, Miss Potter, you need to move your cane and your left leg at the same time,” the matron instructed. “Then, let your right leg follow. You’ll be fine.”</p><p>Keziah nodded, moving forward her bad leg and cane in unison. She didn’t stumble. She put down her right foot and twisted back to look at Harry, beaming.</p><p>“Did you see that?” she gasped excitedly.</p><p>“Great job, Keziah!” Harry said, smiling just as hard as she was.</p><p>Turning back, Keziah looked down determinately. Slowly but surely, she made her way to the Hospital Wing doors and back. She’d nearly fallen once but steadied herself just in time.</p><p>“Ten points to Slytherin, Miss Potter,” Madam Pomfrey said.</p><p>“What for?” Keziah asked as she sat back down on her bed.</p><p>“Tenacity and courage,” she said simply. “Not very Slytherin of you, but an amazing accomplishment nonetheless.”</p><p>Harry gave her a high-five, grinning proudly.</p><p>“I’ve given up hope for us winning the Cup,” he said, shrugging. “But I’m glad you’ll be winning instead.”</p><p>*</p><p>Madam Pomfrey insisted on accompanying the Potter children to the feast.</p><p>“I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened to you on the way to the Great Hall,” she said, pulling dark pink robes over her matron uniform.</p><p>Keziah wouldn’t admit it, but privately, she was more than glad that the matron was coming along. She had practised a bit with walking down the hallway but the Great Hall was an entire floor below. That meant she would need to use stairs.</p><p>“Slytherin wins for the seventh year in the row,” Harry sighed, whistling lowly.</p><p>“Hey!” Keziah protested. “I thought you were happy for me!”</p><p>“I can do both,” Harry said testily. “I’m just multitasking.”</p><p>“Are you sure you have the brain capacity for that?”</p><p>“I know I do, but I’m not so sure about you...”</p><p>“CHILDREN!” Madam Pomfrey cried, interrupting the siblings’ banter. “It is time we’re off.”</p><p>Keziah grabbed her cane, psyching herself up for the stairs.</p><p>The three of them made their way down the hall with no problem. However, as she saw the stone steps, Keziah stopped herself. Madam Pomfrey hadn’t told her how to manoeuvre through steps. The other two didn’t notice she had stopped until they were half-way down the staircase.</p><p>“Keziah, come on,” Harry called.</p><p>“I — I can’t,” she stammered, shuffling back.</p><p>“Miss Potter, why don’t you come towards the edge of the stairs and see what happens?” Madam Pomfrey asked.</p><p>Keziah hesitated. The matron wouldn’t have made such a specific request unless something was about to happen. Shaking off the leeching doubts, she moved forward until she was a couple of steps away from the edge. Madam Pomfrey nodded encouragingly. Keziah closed her eyes and appreciated the cool air filling her lungs.</p><p>A strange thing happened as Keziah’s right foot touched the edge of the step. Like an escalator, the steps started moving downwards, bringing Keziah along with them.</p><p>“What’s going on?” she cried, throwing out her other arm and clinging to the railing.</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore modified the staircases of the school to accommodate your injury,” Madam Pomfrey said cheerfully.</p><p>“You couldn’t have told me this EARLIER!” Keziah said angrily as her feet touched the floor. Immediately, the staircase stilled, as though it had never moved in the first place.</p><p>“It must’ve slipped my mind,” Madam Pomfrey hummed. “Let us move on.”</p><p>Harry snickered into his robes as he followed the matron. Keziah scowled but kept moving, her cane clacking through the silence.</p><p>Since they were later than the rest of the school when Keziah and Harry stepped through the double doors, everybody’s heads whipped towards them. There was a blanket of hush before an uproar of whispering, pointing and gasps swept around the room.</p><p>Keziah ducked her head and walked over to Daphne, Blaise and Theodore as quickly as she could. She ignored how some people were pointing at her cane and talking even louder.</p><p>“Keziah!” Daphne said excitedly. “You made it!”</p><p>“I thought Pomfrey would keep you for another month at least,” Theodore joked.</p><p>“Well it’s a good thing you’re here,” Blaise said, pointing at the magnificent green and silver banner hung behind the staff table. “LOOK AT THAT!”</p><p>Keziah smiled and nodded. She’d appreciate the victory for as long as she could before Dumbledore came to take it away.</p><p>“Seven years in a row, baby,” Blaise said excitedly.</p><p>“Imagine if you were a seventh-year,” Daphne said thoughtfully. “You’d have won every year in a row.”</p><p>“That would be amazing,” Blaise sighed dreamily.</p><p>The babble died away suddenly as Dumbledore arrived, dressed in star-spangled robes of a deep red, with silver trimmings.</p><p>“Another year has gone!” he said cheerfully.</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Blaise whisper-groaned. “Get to the part where we’re declared the winners!”</p><p>“Calm down Blaise,” Daphne laughed, touching his arm. The boy immediately stiffened, his complaints trailing off as he stared at Daphne’s hand.</p><p>“Yep — of course! Let’s just... let’s just Dumbledore to listen... I mean listen to Dumbledore!” he squeaked, burying his head in his robes.</p><p>“Smooth,” Theodore muttered to Keziah, smirking broadly.</p><p>“He should give out lessons,” Keziah whispered back, also smirking.</p><p>Blaise suddenly shushed them, rocking back and forth in anticipation.</p><p>“Now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding. The points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and thirty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two.”</p><p>The Slytherin table cheered loudly, several children banging their goblets down in appreciation.</p><p>“Did you hear that!” Blaise said. “We steamrolled everyone else!”</p><p>“I wouldn’t count on it,” Keziah murmured, staring at Dumbledore.</p><p>“Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin,” said Dumbledore. “However, recent events must be taken into account.”</p><p>The room went very still and Blaise’s face fell.</p><p>“First, I must give credit where credit is due,” Dumbledore said. “I award Slytherin forty more points for their very own Miss Keziah Potter. She showed tenacity and bravery in the face of danger and well after it. She was faced with a life-changing bull and she grabbed it by its horns.”</p><p>“That’s my best friend!” Daphne yelled, wrapping her arm around Keziah’s shoulder and using her other arm to point her out to the cheering crowd.</p><p>“Now, I must dish out some more last-minute points...</p><p>“First — to Mr Ronald Weasley... for the best-played chess game Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor sixty points.”</p><p>“Here we go,” Theodore sighed darkly.</p><p>Blaise made an odd sort of choking noise at the Headmaster’s words.</p><p>“It’s alright,” he said desperately. “We’re still way above them.”</p><p>“Second — to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire and quick-thinking medical skills, I award Gryffindor a further sixty points!”</p><p>“Nononononono,” Blaise hissed under his breath.</p><p>“Third — to Mr Harry Potter...” said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. Blaise didn’t seem to be breathing. “for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty-five points.”</p><p>The din was deafening as the Gryffindors busted their lungs with cheering.</p><p>“We’re still above them,” Blaise said triumphantly. “There’s nothing Dumbledore can pull out of his arse to make us lose.”</p><p>“Wanna bet,” Keziah said, pointing up at the staff table.</p><p>“There are all kinds of bravery,” said Dumbledore smiling. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I, therefore, award fifteen points to Mr Neville Longbottom.”</p><p>Someone might as well have lit a bomb in the Great Hall, for the noise was the same. The Gryffindors cheered themselves hoarse.</p><p>“How does that even work?” Theodore shouted to be heard. “We’re at a draw!”</p><p>“Which means,” Dumbledore called over the storm of clapping, “that we have a draw on our hands and a change of decoration.”</p><p>He clapped his hands. In an instant, half of the green hangings melted in scarlet and there was a mix of silver and gold. It clashed like Christmas colours yet it was the most amazing thing Keziah had ever seen. The Slytherin serpent was suddenly coiled around the Gryffindor lion so they stood in sync and camaraderie.</p><p>“This still counts,” Blaise shrugged and joined in with the screaming applause.</p><p>“We still need our exam results,” Daphne whispered to Keziah.</p><p>“Let us have this, Daph,” Keziah giggled, throwing her arm around her best friend and staring up into the cosmic ceiling.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had to play around with the points so much until I got a score I was satisfied with for the House Cup lmao</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Indeed, the exam results did come on the following Monday. All the Slytherin first-years gathered around one of the larger tables, their fingers clutching identical vanilla-coloured envelopes with lilac seals.</p><p>“Three...” Pansy Parkinson said apprehensively.</p><p>“Two...” Draco carried on, glancing around.</p><p>“One!” Crabbe finished, looking pleased with himself.</p><p>There was a chorus of ripping noises and the shuffling of papers. Keziah looked down at her grades with relief. She’d gotten decent marks. At the very least, she'd passed everything</p><p><strong>Astronomy</strong>: 67%</p><p><strong>Charms</strong>: 89%</p><p><strong>Defence Against the Dark Arts</strong>: 76%</p><p><strong>Herbology</strong>: 82%</p><p><strong>History of Magic</strong>: 78%</p><p><strong>Potions</strong>: 96%</p><p><strong>Transfiguration</strong>: 92%</p><p>“What the hell!” Daphne cried, leaning over to peer at Keziah’s marks. “How the devil did you get ninety-six from Snape!”</p><p>“She got what?” Draco shouted, getting up from his seat and rushing over to check for himself.</p><p>“Now I feel even stupider,” Millicent Bulstrode sighed, crumpling up her sheet.</p><p>“Grades are a construct made up by authorities to try and standardize intelligence and humans themselves,” said Lily Moon vaguely.</p><p>She hadn’t even opened her envelope, choosing instead to rip it up into tiny pieces and feed it to the fire.</p><p>“I’m not sure you’re allowed to do that, Lily,” Millicent said hesitantly.</p><p>“All consequences are temporary.”</p><p>The room went quiet for a few seconds as they all watched Lily Moon sit there unnervingly with no further comment.</p><p>“Moving on,” Blaise said, edging his seat away from the girl. “There’s a list of the top students on the back.”</p><p>Immediately, Draco flipped his sheet over, muttering furiously as he read through it.</p><p>“SECOND!” he screeched in outrage. “I got SECOND to Granger!”</p><p>Keziah snickered, looking over at the list herself.</p><p>
  <em>1.Hermione Granger</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2. Draco Malfoy</em>
</p><p>
  <em>3. Stephen Cornfoot</em>
</p><p>
  <em>4. Elizabeth Turpin</em>
</p><p>
  <em>5. Theodore Nott</em>
</p><p>“Why am I not surprised that Granger got first?” Daphne said.</p><p>“I don’t think anybody is,” Theodore said. “But I am surprised that there’s no Hufflepuffs.”</p><p>“That’s because they’re useless,” Pansy sneered. “Also, aren’t you happy that you’re on the list! Top five in the whole year!”</p><p>“Yeah,” Millicent said. “Cheer up, Draco. At least you’re second.”</p><p>Draco’s scowl deepened.</p><p>“I refuse to be second to a Gryffindor mudblood,” he snarled.</p><p>“Shut up, Malfoy,” Keziah snapped, her temper flaring at the slur. “Don’t you dare use such words, even when you’re angry!”</p><p>“What will you do?” Pansy asked nastily. “I doubt you could touch him if he started running.”</p><p>“Take that back, you horrible —</p><p>“We are not doing this!” Daphne yelled suddenly. “Not now.”</p><p>“What on earth do you mean?”</p><p>“No fights,” she said slowly. “Draco, don’t use that word; it’s disgusting. Keziah, control yourself. Throttling Draco won’t solve anything. And Pansy — please stop acting like Draco’s guard-dog. He already has two.”</p><p>The peace had been ruined. Draco shoved himself away from the table, looking murderous. He stormed towards the dormitories, Pansy scrambling to catch up with him. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other uneasily and lumbered away to follow Draco.</p><p>“This is what I mean,” Lily Moon hummed, walking off.</p><p>Millicent sat there for a few seconds before she got up too.</p><p>“I’m gonna...” she trailed off distractedly, rushing away.</p><p>Blaise let his head fall onto the table.</p><p>“That sucked,” he said simply.</p><p>“You need to learn how to get along with Draco,” Theodore added, shuffling his papers.</p><p>“That’ll happen when he learns not to be a prat,” Keziah snapped.</p><p>“Then you’ll be waiting all your life,” said Daphne.</p><p>“Very poetic,” Blaise grinned.</p><p>Daphne grinned, blushing. Keziah and Theodore gagged in unison.</p><p>“As much as I want to see my best friends suck at flirting,” Theodore said, getting up, “I need to owl these to my father. See you guys later.”</p><p>“Flirting?!” Daphne spluttered, going a deeper shade of red.</p><p>“We’re just friends!” Blaise squeaked.</p><p>“That voice crack says otherwise,” Keziah grinned.</p><p>“Hah hah,” Blaise sneered sarcastically. “You know, Theo, I think I’ll come with you.”</p><p>“Run,” Keziah cackled. “You’ll never be able to hide from your feelings!”</p><p>Blaise scowled and stuck his tongue out, dramatically swishing his robes as he and Theodore left.</p><p>*</p><p>As quickly as the term had started, it had now come to an end. Wardrobes were emptied, their trunks were packed up.</p><p>Keziah had spent an entire afternoon, with Daphne’s help, to track down Aslan. She was sure the creature had gone native, living out his glory days in the Forbidden Forest.</p><p>“Why did you name his Aslan?” Daphne asked after she climbed down from the Astronomy tower Aslan-less.</p><p>“It’s from a book,” Keziah said vaguely.</p><p>“Chronicles of Narnia?” Daphne asked. “Lewis Carrol?”</p><p>“C.S Lewis,” Keziah corrected.</p><p>“Oh,” Daphne snorted. “They all sound the same, don’t they? You have so many Janes or Charleses or Lewises. Didn’t people in the old days have any creativity? Is it Dickens or Darwin, I can never tell!”</p><p>“But it’s a Muggle books series,” Keziah said in confusion. “How do you know about it?”</p><p>“Just because I’m pureblood doesn’t mean I can’t know about Muggle things,” Daphne said. “I live in <em>Muggle</em> London in a <em>Muggle</em> flat!”</p><p>“You do?” Keziah asked incredulously.</p><p>“Yep. ‘Have been since I was around seven.”</p><p>“What about before?”</p><p>“That was back when my dad was around. We lived in some big manor house out in the country but he left and Mum took Astoria and me to London,” Daphne said, her eyes growing sad.</p><p>Keziah bit her lip desperate to find some way to cheer Daphne up.</p><p>“If you know about Muggle things, do you know how to use a telephone?” she asked.</p><p>“Of course,” Daphne scoffed.</p><p>“Then couldn’t we use them to talk over the summer instead of depending on owls?” Keziah said, waiting for Daphne to get it.</p><p>“That would be brilliant!” the blonde gasped excitedly. “Oooh, we can talk all night long!”</p><p>“If I can get the Dursleys to let me,” Keziah said sourly.</p><p>“I’ll give you my number. Just call me and — LOOK! It’s Aslan! C’mere kitty!”</p><p>*</p><p>Leaving Hogwarts was bittersweet. Madam Pomfrey had stopped Keziah just as she was about to step out.</p><p>“You’ll be taking a carriage,” the matron said, pointing to an old-fashioned, horse-drawn carriage showing up at the doors without a horse to draw it. “I doubt the boats would help your leg.”</p><p>“Thank you, Madam Pomfrey,” Keziah said, ducking her head in embarrassment.</p><p>“Also, a healer will be visiting your residence within the coming week,” said Madam Pomfrey briskly. “He’s very proficient in Physiotherapy. You’re in good hands.”</p><p>Keziah smiled, suddenly overcome with a wave of gratitude for the kindly old matron. Clumsily, she adjusted herself so she wouldn’t fall over the moment she let go of her cane and then hugged the woman in front of her.</p><p>“Oh!” Madam Pomfrey said in surprise. “Now, what’s this for, my dear?”</p><p>“Being great at your job,” Keziah said quietly.</p><p>She let go and made her way to the carriage. Blaise, Theodore and Daphne were waiting inside.</p><p>“We couldn’t help but overhear that you were getting a cool ride all to yourself,” Blaise explained, taking up three seats as he stretched like a cat.</p><p>“And we thought it would be an awful shame not to share such a treat,” Theodore added with a broad smirk.</p><p>“So we snuck in here while you were being all gooey with Pomfrey,” Daphne finished, doing jazz-hands.</p><p>“What are you,” Keziah scoffed “the three musketeers?”</p><p>“Nope, just a couple of Hobbits instead,” Daphne grinned, wiggling her eyebrows.</p><p>“Is that some sort of muggle joke I’m too pureblood to understand,” Theodore said in a serious voice before he burst into giggles.</p><p>“I think you mean culture-blind,” Daphne said primly. “Muggles are more brilliant than we give them credit for.”</p><p>Theodore rolled his eyes patronisingly. Uncomfortably, Blaise coughed.</p><p>“You know,” he said pointedly, “we just finished an entire year at Hogwarts. Can you believe that?”</p><p>“Blaise, I can still hardly believe that I’m at Hogwarts, let alone finishing my first year at it,” Keziah laughed.</p><p>“It’s so much more magnificent than I would’ve ever imagined,” Daphne sighed, twisting around so she could take one last look at the landscape before the trees shielded it from view.</p><p>“Do you mean the castle or the school?” Blaise asked.</p><p>“Everything. Mum constantly goes on about the dangers of magic and how it can corrupt and destroy,” she said sadly. “When you always hear that, magic loses its lustre. I think Hogwarts brought it back for me.”</p><p>“That’s —” Blaise said softly.</p><p>“Should we leave them alone before I puke?” Theodore stage-whispered to Keziah.</p><p>“Too late,” Keziah said back, pretending to throw up out of the window.</p><p>“I hate you,” Daphne scowled. “You both suck.”</p><p>“What happened to the whole best friend thing?” Keziah pouted. “You know I don’t come with a receipt.”</p><p>“Good thing I got a seven-year warranty,” Daphne laughed.</p><p>“Pfft,” Keziah scoffed. “As if you’d ever get sick of me.”</p><p>“If you keep teasing Blaise and me, I just might.”</p><p>“Now who sucks?”</p><p>“Both of you!” Blaise cried, slicing his hand in between them.</p><p>Keziah and Daphne stopped in surprise. They’d forgotten the boys were still there.</p><p>“What are your plans for the summer?” Theodore offered, breaking the silence.</p><p>*</p><p>Keziah slept for most of the journey home. There was something about the Hogwarts’ Express that rocked her to sleep as soon as she touched the red velvet seats.</p><p>She landed in the old ruins of a castle, long destroyed by time. Moss crept up the walls, and chilly sunlight flowed through the crumbled ceiling. An old woman sat by the rotted remains of a door. She wore a plain linen dress, with a white bandana covering her hair, spare a few grey strands.</p><p>Keziah hadn’t seen the woman in a long time.</p><p>“You again!” she gasped, pointing.</p><p>The woman lifted her head, her wrinkled skin stretching weirdly.</p><p>“Welcome back,” the woman croaked, spreading her arms.</p><p>Keziah belatedly realised the woman was smiling, her pale eyes crinkled in amusement.</p><p>“You were scarier last time,” Keziah said aloud, covering her mouth as soon as the words left her lips.</p><p>“Put down your hands, child,” said the woman. “You cannot hide your thoughts here.”</p><p>“Who are you?”</p><p>“A question you don’t need the answer to yet,” the woman snapped, getting up slowly.</p><p>“Why are you different? I saw you a year again but you were more powerful.”</p><p>“I show my form as I choose,” the woman shrugged. “You are flighty and impulsive and I hoped fear would tempt you into the correct decision.”</p><p>She pointed her finger to Keziah’s leg and cane.</p><p>“Clearly not.”</p><p>“What do you mean, the correct decision?” Keziah asked, her temper rising.</p><p>“You already know that you are in this world for a purpose,” the woman said. “You cannot fulfil this purpose if you have perished. Your time shall come, but you must remind yourself that you are spare. This story works well enough without you.”</p><p>“So why do you need me at all?” Keziah growled.</p><p>“Calm down, child,” the woman said. “You are here to make sure that young Harry Potter’s story runs smoother. He has a tragic enough life without needing to care about you too.”</p><p>“If I’m such a problem,” Keziah snarled “then get rid of me! As you said, I’m replaceable.”</p><p>“I never said such a thing,”</p><p>“You might as well have.”</p><p>“Oh dear,” the woman sighed. “I’d have hoped this would go better, but fate denies us the chance. Be careful, Miss Drake.”</p><p>Keziah stared at the woman, her body cold. The woman had said her real surname, the one which she’d carried for nineteen years, yet it felt more foreign to her than Potter did any day. She didn’t get to say anything though. As quickly as she had landed in the dream, she was being dragged out of it.</p><p>*</p><p>“Good morning,” Ron joked as she stretched, sitting up.</p><p>Daphne, Theodore and Blaise were playing Exploding Snap in the corner. More specifically, Blaise and Daphne were cackling over the loss of Theodore’s eyebrows. Hermione was reading some big textbook, only her cloud-like curls visible.</p><p>“Sleep well?” Harry asked from next to her. He was balancing chocolate frog cards into a pyramid and miserably failing.</p><p>“Alright,” Keziah lied. “Did I miss anything?”</p><p>“Ron got upset because Nott said he was a better chess player than him, so they played a few matches,” Harry said.</p><p>“Who won in the end?”</p><p>“Ron, obviously,” Harry snorted, offering her a liquorice wand. Keziah made a face and reached up to feed it to Aslan.</p><p>“Obviously,” she agreed, stealing a chunk of his <em>Cloud Candy</em>. “I don’t see why wizards think they’re so clever for making these sweets. They’re just Muggle things with a sprinkle of pizazz!”</p><p>She took a bite of the magical candy-floss and her eyebrows shot up. It was as fluffy as the clouds and filled her mouth with a wave of strawberry.</p><p>“Do you like it?” Harry smirked.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Keziah said sniffily, holding back a grin.</p><p>“Not as good as the Muggle version, right?” Harry asked slyly.</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“I’m going to miss Hogwarts,” Harry suddenly sighed, pushing back his messy fringe.</p><p>“So am I,” Keziah said. “We saved the school and what do we get? Two and a half months with the worst people ever!”</p><p>“The grandest prize!” Harry sing-songed with a twisted smile.</p><p>“Look!” Keziah said, gesturing to the window. The rolling hills of the Scottish highlands were long gone, replaced with the London landscape. “Perfect time to cash in.”</p><p>They all started moving around, changing out of their robes into Muggle clothing. The boys edged their way out of the compartment, along with Hermione who said she wanted to change alone.</p><p>Despite having grown at least half a foot or so over the past year, Dudley’s old clothes were still comically ill-fitting as they hung over Keziah’s thin frame. She rolled back the large sleeves so she could get a proper grip on her cane.</p><p>“Is that what they make you wear?” Daphne asked in a scandalised voice.</p><p>She had finished changing and was now standing, arms akimbo, as her eyes drilled holes through Keziah’s clothes.</p><p>“Yeah,” Keziah sighed. She had long since passed the point of lying to Daphne about the Dursleys. “These used to be Dudley’s.”</p><p>“You’re not wearing those,” Daphne said immediately.</p><p>“Am I supposed to walk out into Kings Cross Station butt-naked?” Keziah snorted.</p><p>“Of course not,” Daphne said. “Just stay here for a few seconds.”</p><p>Keziah stood awkwardly in the middle of the empty carriage until Daphne came back, holding a small stack of clothes.</p><p>“Mum sent me back-ups and I think they’re your size,” the blonde said briskly.</p><p>Daphne unravelled a blue and purple tie-dye shirt, squinting at Keziah as she held it up. Then she chucked it at her head and started rifling through her pile.</p><p>“Daphne, I’m not going to wear your clothes,” said Keziah slowly.</p><p>“Yes you are,” Daphne snapped back. “I’m not having my friend walking around in elephant skin.”</p><p>“But —”</p><p>“No buts! Now try on these jeans.”</p><p>Keziah felt like one of those silly little dress-up dolls she used to have. Ignoring her protests, Daphne forced Keziah to try on a range of different clothes. Eventually, she settled on Keziah wearing the tie-dye shirt along with a pair of washed-out, baggy jeans.</p><p>“That looks better!”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Keziah said, biting her lip as she looked down at herself. “I feel bad taking your stuff.”</p><p>Daphne responded by chucking a jumper at Keziah’s face.</p><p>“I’m giving you something,” Daphne said in a patronisingly slow voice. “You’re my friend, dummy.”</p><p>“Still,” Keziah protested weakly.</p><p>“Just shut up and take the clothes.”</p><p>Soon the boys (and Hermione) came back into the compartment. It was weird to not see them in robes.</p><p>“Did you just come out of a business meeting?” Keziah snickered, pointing at Theodore’s crisp button-up shirt and slacks. All he needed was hair gel and a briefcase and the look would be complete.</p><p>“Says the hippie,” he sneered.</p><p>“Back off, Nott. Those are my clothes,” Daphne said.</p><p>“How are you all friends if you constantly fighting?” Harry sighed exasperatedly.</p><p>“We’re not fighting,” said Theodore, puzzled.</p><p>“Yeah,” Keziah laughed. “We’re just having a friendly conversation.”</p><p>“Sure,” Harry said, shaking his head.</p><p>*</p><p>It took quite a while to get off the platform. Since they had been sitting in a compartment near the back, the group had to wait for ages as the wizened old guard let the school through the barrier in groups of two or three. Ron helped drag her trunk along, since she couldn’t.</p><p>Keziah nodded goodbye to Ron and Hermione and walked off to stand with Daphne, Blaise and Theodore.</p><p>“Keep in touch,” she said nervously.</p><p>Blaise scoffed.</p><p>“I think I’d go mad if I didn’t,” he said, scratching the back of his head. His dark eyes roved the Muggle platform restlessly.</p><p>“You’re only staying with her for a week,” Theodore said in an offended voice.</p><p>“That’s enough,” Blaise snorted.</p><p>A woman stepped out from the crowd. She was tall, stunningly beautiful and regal, with the same dark skin, cheekbones and haughtily careless air that Blaise carried with him wherever he stepped. She wore her hair in twists that were half-up and half-down. She reminded Keziah of Meredith Blake if she was telling the truth.</p><p>“Blaise, is that your mum?” Keziah asked, pointing the stranger out.</p><p>Blaise instantly deflated as he spotted the woman. He swallowed, a pinwheel of emotions revolving behind his eyes.</p><p>“I’ve got to go,” he said softly. He raised his hand in a half-hearted wave and walked over to the woman. She gave him a once-over and started talking very quickly. Blaise barely lifted his head as he gave sullen answers.</p><p>“Is he going to be alright?” Keziah asked doubtfully.</p><p>“Yeah,” Theodore said firmly. “He’s spending most of the summer at mine.”</p><p>The next to go was Daphne. Her mother emerged from the crowd, a little girl hanging onto her arm. The girl looked incredibly similar to Daphne, with an identical nose and piercing blue-grey eyes.</p><p>“That’s my mum,” said Daphne sheepishly. “Remember to phone me, Keziah.”</p><p>By this time, Daphne’s mother and sister had reached them. She smiled, reaching into her handbag and retrieving three Honeyduke chocolate bars.</p><p>“You must be Daphne’s friends,” she said.</p><p>“Pleased to meet you, Mrs Greengrass,” said Theodore formally, bowing.</p><p>Keziah felt a little lacklustre compared to him, just saying hello.</p><p>“Actually,” Daphne’s mother laughed, “I’m Ms Walsh. But there’s no need for formalities. Just call me Deirdre. Now, what are your names?”</p><p>“Keziah,” she mumbled awkwardly. She waited for Ms Wal — Deirdre to recognise who she was and start nattering about her brother.</p><p>“It’s lovely to meet you,” said Deirdre, handing her one of the chocolates. “How about you, young man?”</p><p>“My name is Theodore Cantankerus Nott,” he said solemnly, bowing again.</p><p>Keziah choked back a snigger at her friend’s middle name. How pretentious, she thought.</p><p>“I hope your father is well,” Deirdre said tightly, her eyes turning cold as she handed Theodore his chocolate. He took it awkwardly, staring down at his expensive shoes.</p><p>“MUM!” Daphne’s little sister broke through the tension, tugging on her mother’s arm. “I want more chocolate!”</p><p>“You ate it all on the way here,” Deirdre snapped. “You should’ve saved some, Astoria. The rest is for your sister, not you.”</p><p>“It’s not fair,” Astoria whined, stamping her foot. “Donnie’s mum always lets me have more chocolate!”</p><p>“I’m not Donnie’s mum, am I?”</p><p>Daphne coughed awkwardly, her cheeks bright pink.</p><p>“I’ll give you some of mine, Tori,” she said hurriedly. “Can you behave now?”</p><p>Astoria’s eyes narrowed cunningly.</p><p>“A full row.”</p><p>“You’re only getting two squares,” Daphne said sharply.</p><p>“That’s rubbish,” Astoria scoffed, digging her heel into the ground.</p><p>Deirdre sighed, rubbing her temple. She smiled tiredly at Keziah and Theodore, who were watching the two siblings like a tennis rally.</p><p>“We’ll be off now,” she said. “By the way, Daphne dear, I spoke to Molly and she —”</p><p>“Not here, Mum,” Daphne hissed. “We’re going now. Bye guys!”</p><p>Suddenly, the small family had vanished into the crowds.</p><p>“What was that about?” Theodore frowned.</p><p>“No clue,” Keziah shrugged.</p><p>“Keziah!” Harry called, interrupting them. “We’ve got to go!”</p><p>Sure enough, the Dursleys were standing a distance away. Petunia was eyeing Keziah’s shirt and cane distastefully, her lips puckered.</p><p>“See you in September,” Keziah said turning back to Theodore.</p><p>He smiled.</p><p>“Good luck with them,” he said, tossing his head in the Dursleys’ direction.</p><p>“Just don’t be a stranger and I think I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“I don’t think Daphne would let us,” Theodore smirked.</p><p>She turned to leave but stopped. Without waiting, she hugged Theodore tightly.</p><p>“What was that for?” he gasped.</p><p>“I felt like it,” Keziah grinned, waving and walking up to Harry.</p><p>“What do you think they’ll say about my leg?” she grinned.</p><p>“Something awful.”</p><p>“Well, that’s a given, brother dear.”</p><p>“Don’t call me dear,” Harry sighed.</p><p>“But you’d make a perfect Bambi,” Keziah pouted jokingly.</p><p>“How are you older but still so immature,” Harry groaned.</p><p>“I got lucky,”</p><p>“Hurry up, unless you want to walk to Surrey,” Vernon grunted, walking up to them.</p><p>“Pleasant as always,” Keziah said with false pleasantness. “But I don’t think I’d be able to walk that far.”</p><p>She kicked out her busted leg and cane, then nearly cried out from the shot of pain that followed. At least she got a one-up over Vernon.</p><p>“What happened? Fall of a magic carpet?” Vernon said. “Or did your hocus-pocus go wrong?”</p><p>“I got attacked by a three-headed dog while Harry, his friends and I saved the school and Britain from wizard Hitler coming back early,” she explained nonchalantly as though saying she slipped on the stairs.</p><p>“Wha —” Vernon spluttered.</p><p>“Now come on,” Keziah smiled, daring to pat the man’s arm. “I need you to get my trunk since I can’t. As you said, we need to hurry up.”</p><p>*</p><p>So it turned out that smart-mouthing Vernon wasn’t such a good idea after all. The car ride back to Privet Drive had been uncomfortably silent as Vernon destroyed the inside of his cheek. His bad mood worsened from having to haul two heavy trunks into the house since Harry was busy helping Keziah who suddenly couldn’t walk very well at all.</p><p>“So,” Vernon growled.</p><p>Keziah and Harry were sitting on the sofa, sharing the chocolate Deirdre had given her. Dudley had scrambled up to his room as soon as they’d set foot into the house and Petunia was busy preparing dinner, bemoaning about how she’d have to cook for five again.</p><p>“You think that just because you two spent a year at some puffed up school and you got yourself crippled, you get to disrespect me?”</p><p>Harry opened his mouth but Vernon cut him off.</p><p>“While you stay under <em>my</em> roof, you follow <em>my</em> rules! All your things will be locked under the stairs and if you even mention your abnormality... you can sleep on the pavement! And I’m padlocking that <em>thing’s</em> cage. I know what’ll happen if it’s allowed to flap about,” he said viciously.</p><p>Mockingly, Keziah winced and shook her head.</p><p>“Normally,” she said smoothly “I’d be thrilled about your stupid rules but here’s the thing... thanks to my injury, Hogwarts is sending over a physiotherapist from St Mungo’s.”</p><p>“St what?”</p><p>“It’s a hospital. My healer is going to be here quite often and I’m sure they’d be disturbed to learn how you’re treating Harry and me over the summer. Hagrid hasn’t formally learnt magic since he’s thirteen. Imagine what a fully trained witch or wizard could do?”</p><p>Vernon turned purple, the veins in his forehead and neck throbbing dangerously.</p><p>“You’ve got some nerve,” he snarled, flexing his left fist.</p><p>“None of what you’re doing to Harry and me is legal. I can go to Muggle authorities at any time and you’d be in jail for a long time. I bet Dudley would be bounced from a foster centre to foster centre. I don’t know what they’d do to Petunia but she’s an accomplice,” Keziah explained.</p><p>“EXCUSE ME —”</p><p>“You don’t get to push us around anymore, Vernon,” Keziah said plainly. “Also, my pain-relief potions are in my trunk. By locking it up, you’re taking away my right to medical aid, which is also against the law.”</p><p>She grabbed her cane and pushed herself up. The sky was a dark blue by now and it had been hours since her last potion. Dull pain ached through the lower half of her body as she made her way to their trunks, stacked up in the hall.</p><p>Harry ran after her a second later, looking awestruck.</p><p>“That was epic,” he said breathlessly.</p><p>“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” she said sharply. “Can you help me get one of my potions?”</p><p>For the rest of the evening, the Dursleys left them alone. Vernon took their trunks upstairs and discarded them roughly in their room.</p><p>“If one thing in my house gets even scuffed,” he warned, “you’re finished.”</p><p>Still, Keziah and Harry grinned as they unpacked their things. Aslan slinked out of his cage as soon as the latch clicked, making his way downstairs. Petunia’s horrified shriek echoed through the house seconds later.</p><p>“I’m going to let Hedwig out,” said Harry, fiddling with the lock. “She hasn’t been able to fly all day and she’s antsy.”</p><p>“I need to send a letter but after that, you can,” Keziah said quickly.</p><p>Harry gave her a funny look but nodded.</p><p>“I’m going to go annoy Dudley,” he smirked. “Call me when you’re coming downstairs so I can help you.”</p><p>She nodded, giving Harry a tight hug. He looked at her funnily but returned it before slipping out.</p><p>Keziah picked up the parchment sheet she’d tucked into her trunk. There were only three words on it so far.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>‘Dear Remus Lupin,’</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>FIN.</p><p>WOW! Book One is over after five solid months of blood, sweat and tears! I love this story so much and I'm going to try my best to keep up with it. Quick updates may be a bit harder thanks to school starting but I'll try my best lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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